Suggests that in learning and development, the process of comparison can act as a bridge between similarity-based and rule-based processing. A structure-sensitive comparison process, triggered by experiential or symbolic juxtapositions can: (1) facilitate understanding of structural commonalities and the abstraction of rules; and (2) facilitate…

Considers assumptions underlying current cognitive science research on concepts: (1) novel information is first processed via similarity judgments and later by explanatory components; (2) children initially have a similarity-based component for learning concepts--the explanatory component develops on its foundation. Argues that these assumptions…

Summarizes findings on infants' capacity for object segregation. Maintains that infants can use featural and experiential information for segregation and individuation purposes long before 12 months of age. Disputes the claim that formation of object categories awaits early word learning, but acknowledges that language may play a key role in…