Relation between working memory and implicit learning in the contextual cueing paradigm

Abstract

ABSTRACT We examined whether implicit learning (IL) in visual search involves working memory (WM). IL was examined in a contextual cueing paradigm in which visual search performance is facilitated by implicitly learned spatial associations (the contextual cueing effect [CCE]; Chun, M. M., & Jiang, Y. (1998). Contextual cueing: Implicit learning and memory of visual context guides spatial attention. Cognitive Psychology, 36(1), 28–71. https://doi.org/10.1006/cogp.1998.0681). IL and WM tasks were performed concurrently. Participants were tested in one of three types of WM tasks testing memory of (1) object colour, (2) relation between object shape and colour and (3) relation between object location and identity. Results showed that the CCE remained relatively intact regardless of the type of WM task. These results fail to support the idea that IL and working memory are related.