Developmental changes within the structure of the mammal domain.

Examined and considered developmental changes in the organization of information within the mammal domain within the context of cultural knowledge acquisition. Judgments of similarity among mammals were elicited from 7-yr-olds, 10-yr-olds, and adults by means of a triad task. Analysis addressed both quantitative and qualitative models of development consistent with the A. K. Romney et al (1986) cultural consensus model. Results provided partial support for both models. Ss' responses generally fit the cultural consensus model, whereas systematic patterns of deviation from the model emerged between children and adults because of the emergence of a primate category after age 10. The relationship between these results and S. Carey's (1985) research on the development of biological knowledge is discussed, and implications for the study of expertise acquisition are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)