Speaking of kinds: How generic language shapes the development of category representations

Generic language (e.g., “tigers have stripes”) facilitates conceptual development, by leading listeners to assume that the referenced categories (e.g., tigers) are inductively informative and have causal-explanatory power over the behavior of individual members. The present studies (N = 441 children aged 5-7 years and adults) considered the mechanisms by which generic language has these effects. By examining what listeners learn from generics that are later falsified, the present studies revealed a unique role of the generic form: Hearing generics led to stronger beliefs that the referenced categories were inductively informative, even when participants later learned that the generics had communicated only inaccurate content about the categories. This pattern suggests that listeners interpret generics as signals that particular categories are meaningful kinds that support generalization. Implications for both cognitive and social development are discussed.