The Nature Of Contextual Cueing Implicit Memory From The Effect Of Viewpoint Change

For observers, part of the information obtained from the environment can produce memories. Some information may be consciously extracted (explicit memory).Some cannot consciously report, but might be play important role in automatically extracting information of a specific task (implicit memory). Explicit and implicit memory was often coexisting. Indirect measurements such as word stem completion test or preference judgment task were often be used by researchers, to separate implicit memory.Chun and Jiang (1998) proposed a new paradigm of implicit memory, revealed the phenomenon of contextual cueing effect. One issue concerns the nature of implicit memory in contextual cuing effect. One hypothesis was instance theory (Logan,1988), which claimed that the memory of contextual cueing was based on inflexible and specific image (snapshot). However, from the perspective of human evolution, abstract and flexible memory could be existed in contextual cueing.One ideal paradigm to explore the issue is to investigate the mechanism of the memory that how human search a target of the same scene from an experienced view to a new view. If the memory traces are abstract, contextual cuing should readily generalize to transformed versions of experienced scenes. If the memory traces are specific, contextual cuing should be destroyed.This study will explore this issue. Experiment1provides ample information (coherent orientation of the scene and objects with different shapes), to test whether the effect of contextual cuing could preserve with45degree viewpoint change. Then Experiment2(coherent orientation of the scene) and experiment3(objects with different shapes), selectively removing some clues to examine in which condition could lead to contextual cuing be retained with viewpoint change. Finally, under the controls of this study, the following findings were concluded:(1) Providing enough information of the magnitude and direction of the view change, contextual cuing effect could be retained with45degrees viewpoint change.(2) Coherent orientation of the scene and objects with different shapes are two necessary factors for viewpoint independent representation of a scene.(3) The memory of contextual cuing effect is implicit.