In a pattern recognition system, input signals are applied to a short term feature representation field of nodes. A pattern from the short term feature representation field selects at least one category node in a category representation field. The selected category then generates a template pattern. With an insufficient match between the input pattern and template pattern, the category selection is reset. Category selection is based on selection weights which are initially set equal to long term memory weights. After reset, however, selections weights are reduced. Reduction is greatest at those nodes where excitation in F.sub.2 was greater prior to reset. The category representation field is of the same form as the field which receives the input and may itself serve as an input to a higher level pattern recognition system.