title: Location transfer of perceptual learning: passive stimulation and double training.
abstract: Specificity has always been considered one of the hallmarks of perceptual learning, suggesting that performance improvement would reflect changes at early stages of visual analyses (e.g., V1). More recently, however, this view has been challenged by studies documenting complete transfer of learning among different spatial locations or stimulus orientations when a double-training procedure is adopted. Here, we further investigate the conditions under which transfer of visual perceptual learning takes place, confirming that the passive stimulation at the transfer location seems to be insufficient to overcome learning specificity. By contrast, learning transfer is complete when performing a secondary task at the transfer location. Interestingly, (i) transfer emerges when the primary and secondary tasks are intermingled on a trial-by-trial basis, and (ii) the effects of learning generalization appear to be reciprocal, namely the primary task also serves to enable transfer of the secondary task. However, if the secondary task is not performed for a sufficient number of trials, then transfer is not enabled. Overall, the results lend support to the recent view that task-relevant perceptual learning may involve high-level stages of visual analyses.
authors: Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto, Italy. Electronic address: tommaso.mastropasqua@unitn.it.
authors: Tommaso
authors: T
authors: Mastropasqua
authors: Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto, Italy.
authors: Jessica
authors: J
authors: Galliussi
authors: Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto, Italy.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Pascucci
authors: Center for Mind/Brain Sciences, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto, Italy; Department of Psychology and Cognitive Sciences, University of Trento, Corso Bettini 31, 38068 Rovereto, Italy.
authors: Massimo
authors: M
authors: Turatto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D004193:Discrimination Learning / Q000502:physiology; D005133:Eye Movements / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Double training; Location specificity; Orientation discrimination; Perceptual learning; Transfer