Definition
Abstract concept learning, including relational and numerical concept acquisition, provides a foundation for higher-order learning. The learning of abstract concepts involves judgment of a relationship between stimuli based on a common rule (e.g., identity/nonidentity, above/below, smaller/larger, greater than/less than). Concepts are considered abstract when they are not dependent upon any particular stimulus features, but rather on relationships instantiated between them. If these rules of relatedness are applied to entirely novel stimuli, an abstract concept is assumed to be acquired in the form of a mental representation. Abstract concepts are distinguished from other concepts (i.e., perceptual and associative concepts) in that they are not limited to perceptual similarity, but transcend several domains to allow for the application of a common rule (for comprehensive reviews, see Katz et...
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Flemming, T.M., Beran, M.J. (2012). Abstract Concept Learning in Animals. In: Seel, N.M. (eds) Encyclopedia of the Sciences of Learning. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1428-6_954
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