The Devil in the Details: Local Processing Sometimes Results in Suboptimal Category Learning

Prototype and exemplar theories of categorization have been compared for decades. However, little research has examined why individuals adopt different approaches to categorization. The aim of the present studies was to investigate individual differences in prototype and exemplar categorization. Study 1 examined how global and local processing, autistic traits, and analytic-holistic cognition relate to category representations using Medin and Schaffer’s (1978) 5–4 categorization task. Participants completed the classification task, followed by a Navon task to assess attentional processing and self-report trait measures. Results showed that reaction times on the Navon task had some associations to categorization strategy, suggesting that global processing abilities may be related to category learning. Study 2 experimentally manipulated attentional focus by priming participants’ attention either globally or locally before completing the 5–4 categorization task. Although priming did not significantly influence strategy use, attention weight analyses revealed nuanced differences in how participants allocated attention to stimulus features. Specifically, participants who focused on the details, attended to less optimal stimulus features when classifying. These findings contribute to our understanding of individual differences in categorization and category learning and highlight the role of attentional focus in shaping category representations