Helping the cognitive system learn: exaggerating distinctiveness and uniqueness

Abstract

The caricature advantage demonstrates that performance is better when exaggerated stimuli are
presented rather than a faithful image. This can be understood with respect to a theoretical framework
in which caricaturing maximises the distinctiveness and thus minimises any perceptual or representational
confusion. In this study we examine the possibility to harness caricatures to enhance
learning. Thus, during learning the caricatures help the cognitive system pick up the unique and
distinctive features of the learned material. This in turn helps to construct representations that
correctly direct attention to the critical information. We trained 113 participants to identify aircraft
across any orientation and found that the use of caricature is advantageous. However, the caricature
advantage was most effective in complex learning where it is difficult to differentiate among different
aircraft. Furthermore, the caricature advantage for subsequent recognition is attenuated when
over-learning has been achieved. These results are discussed in terms of the learning situations
in which caricatures can be most effective in enhancing learning.

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Identifiers

ORCID for Sarah V. Stevenage: orcid.org/0000-0003-4155-2939

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