The large literature on incidental learning relies almost exclusively on laboratory experiments. Whenever researchers have attempted to demonstrate incidental learning of real-world regularities, they have typically failed to show learning. For example, it is well established that people do not learn regularities in everyday objects, such as the left-right orientation of faces on coins, despite...

A new method of data analysis is discussed. Goal of represented techniques is complete and statistically valid comparing of regularities existing in two different groups of objects. It is supposed that regularities that tie levels of forecasted and explanatory variables are searched with the help of optimal partitioning technique. The developed technique was applied for analysis of genetic fact...

When do descriptive regularities (what characteristics individuals have) become prescriptive norms (what characteristics individuals should have)? We examined children's (4-13 years) and adults' use of group regularities to make prescriptive judgments, employing novel groups (Hibbles and Glerks) that engaged in morally neutral behaviors (e.g., eating different kinds of berries). Participants we...

When do descriptive regularities (what characteristics individuals have) become prescriptive norms (what characteristics individuals should have)? We examined children’s (4–13 years) and adults’ use of group regularities to make prescriptive judgments, employing novel groups (Hibbles and Glerks) that engaged in morally neutral behaviors (e.g., eating different kinds of berries). Participants we...

Predictive processing of information is essential for goal-directed behavior. We offer an account of auditory perception suggesting that representations of predictable patterns, or 'regularities', extracted from the incoming sounds serve as auditory perceptual objects. The auditory system continuously searches for regularities within the acoustic signal. Primitive regularities may be encoded by...

Regularities are gradually represented in cortex after extensive experience, and yet they can influence behavior after minimal exposure. What kind of representations support such rapid statistical learning? The medial temporal lobe (MTL) can represent information from even a single experience, making it a good candidate system for assisting in initial learning about regularities. We combined an...

We discuss the types of functional knowledge about an environment an agent can use in order to act effectively. We demonstrate (1) the use of structural regularities for acting efficiently, and (2) the use of physical regularities for designing effective sensors. These ideas are described in the context of an everyday task: grocery store shopping. We discuss how SHOPPER, a program, uses regular...

Natural images are not random; instead, they exhibit statistical regularities. Assuming that our vision is designed for tasks on natural images, computation in the visual system should be optimized for such regularities. Recent theoretical investigations along this line have provided many insights into the visual response properties in the early visual system. In this article we review both the...