| Abstract |
| This research investigated category-based feature inference when category features were connected in common cause and common effect causal networks. Previous studies that tested feature inference in causal categories showed unique inference patterns depending on causal direction, number of related features, whether the to-be-inferred feature was cause or effect, etc. However, these prior studies primarily focused on inference pattens that arise from causal relations, and few studies directly explored how the effects of causal relations vary depending on causal strength. We tested feature inference in common cause (Expt. 1) and common effect (Expt. 2) causal categories when casual strengths were either strong or weak. To this end, we had participants learn causal categories where features were causally linked and then perform feature inference task. The results showed that causal strengths as well as causal relations had important impacts on feature inference. When causal strength was strong, inference for common cause feature became weaker but that for the common effect feature became stronger. Moreover, when causal strength was strong and common cause was present, inference for the effect features became stronger, whereas the results were reversed in common effect networks. In particular, in common effect networks, casual discounting was more evident with strong causal strength. These results consistently demonstrate that participants consider not only causal relations but also causal strength in feature inference of causal categories. |
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| Key Words |
| Category-Based Feature Inference, Common Cause, Common Effect, Causal Strength, 범주기반 속성추론, 공통원인, 공통효과, 인과강도 |
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