The Transfer of Object Learning after Training with Multiple Exemplars

Abstract

Object recognition improves with training. This training effect only partially generalizes to untrained images of the trained objects (new exemplars, orientation,…). The aim of this study is to investigate whether and to what extent the learning transfer improves when participants are trained with more exemplars of an object. Participants were trained to recognize two sets of stimuli using a backward masking paradigm. During training with the first set, only one exemplar of each object was presented. The second set was trained using four exemplars of each object. After 3 days of training, participants were tested on all the trained exemplars and a completely new exemplar of the same objects. In addition, recognition performance was compared to a set of completely new objects. For the objects of which four exemplars were used during training, participants showed more generalization toward new exemplars compared to when they were only trained with one exemplar. Part of the generalization effect extended to completely new objects. In conclusion, more variation during training leads to more generalization toward new visual stimuli.

Tactile recognition of visual stimuli: Specificity versus generalization of perceptual learning

“…When the stimulus set is increased, generalized strategies are involved but feature variability is necessary to make these strategies efficient. This effect of variability during training is consistent with previous studies reporting greater generalization after learning objects from different exemplars (Baeck, Maes, Van Meel, & Op de Beeck, 2016).…”

Learning to see again: biological constraints on cortical plasticity and the implications for sight restoration technologies

“…In the absence of stimulus variability, learning remains highly specific – generally at the most specific level possible (Ahissar and Hochstein 2004). But under conditions where stimuli vary widely generalized learning can occur, e.g., when presented at multiple spatial locations or with multiple different exemplars, or when stimulus differences are relatively large, and performance levels are high (Xiao et al 2008, Wang et al 2012, Wang et al 2014, Baeck et al 2016). …”

Influences of time of day on generalization

“…Consistent with participants having superior exemplar memory in this version, it is possible that with fewer exemplars participants were simply memorizing the features of each satellite with less sensitivity to the shared structure of the categories, thereby weakening generalization. In support of this possibility, several category learning studies have demonstrated that exemplar variability is particularly important for generalization (Baeck et al, 2016;Hahn et al, 2005;Perry et al, 2010;Posner & Keele, 1968;cf. Bowman & Zeithamova, 2020 ).…”

“…The major change in this experiment was the use of a simplified generalization paradigm which had fewer exemplars per category. Given that exemplar variability is important for generalization (Baeck et al, 2016;Hahn et al, 2005;Perry et al, 2010;Posner & Keele, 1968), it is possible that this change weakened the strength of the learned category representations, thereby weakening generalization. Another possibility is that administering additional tasks interfered with how participants were performing the generalization task.…”