When an otherwise neutral stimulus signals an aversive event, we learn to use that information to avoid negative outcomes. Extended too broadly, however, fear learning can become maladaptive. In concept learning, people tend to restrict generalization to the narrowest category consistent with the learning set (Xu & Tenenbaum, 2007). We tested whether this pattern extends to fear conditioning. Shocks were associated with bananas (basic level group) or with fruit (superordinate group), but never with vegetables (both). In generalization, both groups were shown novel fruits and vegetables (no shocks). Surprisingly, while the basic level group’s Skin Conductance Response (SCR) reliably diminished from acquisition to generalization, the superordinate group’s SCR did not. Further, SCR to vegetables was greater in generalization for the superordinate group, suggesting that superordinate training encourages overgeneralizing threat beyond what concept learning models would predict. These novel findings have implications for both learning models and anxiety disorders (e.g., PTSD).

Theories of object recognition and categorization rely on a set of primitives to represent objects. The nature and the development of these primitives have been neglected in computational vision and in concept learning theories. W e present a theory of part ontogeny in which not only perceptual, but also categorical constraints play a role. A two-phase experiment using categories of synthesized 3 D objects (Martian rocks) was conducted to test the theory. The first phase tested the hypothesis that part identification is dependent on categorical context. The second phase tested whether the units extracted in the first phase played a conceptual role in learning a new category. In both phases, subjects interactively delineated the parts of the stimuli while learning the categories. The units subjects identified in the first phase were those that were predictive of the object's category. These units then influenced the perception of parts in the new categories of the second phase.

Many theories of object categorization assume that objects are represented in terms of components-attributes such as parts, functions and perceptual properties. The origin of these components has been neglected in concept learning theories. W e provide further evidence for a theory of part ontogeny in which parts are not simply given by perceptual information but develop over the course of category learning. T w o experiments are reported. T h e experiments showed that subjects could identify a component of u n k n o w n stimuli as a part in spite of variation in its shape across exemplars of the category. However, the experiments also revealed perceptual constraints on what variations could be identified as the same part.

Three experiments investigated the role of conceptual abstraction in category learning. We found that people in a low-level mindset over-weighted global features in classifying novel exemplars whereas those in a high-level mindset did not (Experiments 1 and 3). The effect was on the learning process, independent of perceptual response preference (Experiment 3) and occurred despite evidence of perceptual global dominance for all groups during learning (Experiments 2 and 3). We conclude that abstraction can subordinate perceptual salience to the larger goal, integrating discrete encounters into a comprehensive representation of the underlying structure.

Web-based physician ratings are increasingly popular but imperfect proxies for clinical competence. Yet they provide valuable information to patients and providers when taken in proper context. Providers need to embrace the reviews and use them to enact positive change in order to improve the quality of our patients' experience. Patients need to realize the limitations of online ratings, particularly with smaller sample size and be discerning about the reasons behind the review.

Following failed endoscopic intervention, the most cost-effective strategy for recurrent urethral stricture disease (USD) is urethroplasty. Inpatient hospital costs associated with urethroplasty are driven by patient comorbidities and postoperative complications. Symptom-based surveillance for USD recurrence will reduce unnecessary diagnostic procedures and cost.