Action Generalization Across Group Members: Action Efficiency Matters

Actions are usually generalized among social group members. Importantly, the efficiency of an action with respect to achieving external target determines understanding, and it may have different degrees relevance groups. Thus, this study explored role in generalization. We used computer animations simulate actions groups initiated by visual cues or category labels, we measured differences response times between identifying that were not consistent members, without explicit requirements regarding It was found both visually introduced explicitly labeled groups, when members acted inefficiently toward object, perceivers identified group-consistent faster than group-inconsistent actions, indicating exemplars' common inefficient unknown ingroup member, accordingly facilitating identification expected (Experiment 1). As effect present removing cues, determined be specific 2). such generalization observed identical deemed efficient object 3) demonstration being completed multiple rather repeated twice one supporting group-based inference ruling out possibility increased memorability leading more relative 4). Therefore, bounds across through a process is spontaneous implicit. This constrained due represented as culture-specific conventional forms.