Previous research (Goldstone. 1991) has
suggested that concepts differ In their degree of
dependency on other concepts. While some concepts'
characterizations depend on other sinxjitaneously
acquired concepts, other concepts are relatively isolated.
The current experiments provide a new measure of a
concept's inten-elatedness/isolation. It Is assumed that If
the prototype of a concept is classified with greater
accuracy than a caricature, then the concept is relatively
independent of the influences of other concepts. If a
caricature is nrwre easily categorized than the prototype,
then the concept is relatively dependent on other
concepts. If these assumptions are made, then the
cun-ent experiments provide converging support for a
interrelated/isolated distinction. Instnjcting subjects to
form images of the concepts to be acquired, or
infrequently alternating categories during presentation,
yields relatively isolated concepts. Instructing subjects to
try to discriminate between concepts, or frequently
altemating categories, yields relatively interrelated
concepts.