An Examination of Strategy Implementation During Abstract Nonlinguistic Category Learning in Aphasia

Abstract

Purpose To study strategy use during nonlinguisitic category learning in aphasia. Method Twelve non-aphasic controls and 53 patients with aphasia (PWA) completed a computerized feedback-based category learning task comprising of training and testing phases. Accuracy rates of categorization in testing phases were calculated. To evaluate strategy use, strategy analyses were conducted over training and testing phases. Participant data was compared with model data that simulated complex multi-cue (OMC), single feature (SF) and random pattern (RP) strategies. Learning success and strategy use were evaluated within the context of standardized cognitive-linguistic assessments. Results Categorization accuracy was higher among control participants than among individuals with aphasia. The majority of control participants implemented suboptimal or optimal multi-cue and single feature strategies by testing phases of the experiment. In contrast, a large subgroup of individuals with aphasia implemented random patterns, or no strategy, during both training and testing phases of the experiment. Conclusions Person-to-person variability arises not only in category learning ability, but in the strategies implemented to complete category learning tasks. PWA less frequently developed effective strategies during category learning tasks than controls. Certain PWA may have impairments of strategy development or feedback processing not captured by language and currently probed cognitive abilities.

No evidence for a special role of language in feature-based categorization

“…As a result, left hemisphere damage can lead to joint linguistic and domain-general executive deficits (Baldo et al, 2010;Gainotti et al, 1986). Prior work has shown that performance on executive function tasks, not language tasks, predicts success in learning novel categories (Vallila-Rohter & Kiran, 2015).…”

Categorization in People with Aphasia – Research using the DRM Procedure, i.e. the Formation of False Memories

“…Some predictions about the patient's prognosis can only be made based on the etiology of damage, the location and volume of brain damage, which translates into the depth of aphasia and the level of its spontaneous remission. Referring to research on teaching categorizing people with aphasia (Vallila-Rother & Kiran, 2015), it is also noted that in this group the ability to learn again categorization is at a much lower level than in healthy people -F (1.63) = 5.10, p = 0.03, where in people with aphasia M = 3.2 (SD = 5.2), and for healthy people M = 6.8 (SD = 4.1).…”

“…Pewnych przewidywań dotyczących rokowań pacjenta można dokonywać wyłącznie w oparciu o etiologię uszkodzenia, lokalizację i objętość uszkodzenia mózgu, co przekłada się na głębokość afazji i poziom jej samoistnej remisji. Odnosząc się zaś do badań nad nauczaniem kategoryzowania osób z afazją (Vallila-Rother & Kiran, 2015), także zauważa się, iż w tej grupie zdolność do wyuczenia się na nowo kategoryzowania jest na znacznie niższym poziomie niż u osób zdrowych -F (1,63) = 5,10, p = 0,03, gdzie u osób z afazją M = 3,2 (SD = 5,2), dla osób zdrowych zaś M = 6,8 (SD = 4,1).…”

Is Bodily Experience an Epiphenomenon of Multisensory Integration and Cognition?

“…Interestingly, a similar differentiation/combination function prevails in the field of linguistics (De Saussure, 1915), and presumably underlies categorization and concept formation (i.e., the ability to identify and group recurrent information across infinite experiences; Vallila-Rohter and Kiran, 2015). It is not surprising then, that correlations are frequently observed between gestures conveying meaning on the one hand, and language on the other hand (Vingerhoets et al, 2013).…”