title: The notion of contextual locking: Previously learnt items are not accessible as such when appearing in a less common context.
abstract: We examined the effect of context on the learning of spatial coding in four experiments. Two partially overlapping sets of stimuli, which had the very same stimulus-response spatial coding, were presented in unique contexts. Results show contextual locking-that is, response times to the very same item in a more common context (80%) were significantly shorter than those in a less common context (20%). Contextual locking was obtained both when the context was more salient (Experiments 1 and 2) and less salient (Experiments 3 and 4). In addition, results were obtained even when contextualization seemed less necessary (Experiments 2 and 4). Binding of information to context is discussed in relation to chunking, transfer effects, and practical applications pertaining to professional training.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Management , Bar-Ilan University , Ramat-Gan , Israel.
authors.forename: Amotz
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Perlman
authors.affiliation: b Interdisciplinary Department of Social Sciences , Bar Ilan University , Ramat-Gan , Israel.
authors.forename: Yaakov
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hoffman
authors.affiliation: c Department of Psychology , Ben-Gurion University of the Negev and Department of Psychology, Achva Academic College , Beer Sheva , Israel.
authors.forename: Joseph
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Tzelgov
authors.affiliation: d Department of Psychology , City University London , London , UK.
authors.forename: Emmanuel M
authors.initials: EM
authors.lastname: Pothos
authors.affiliation: e Department of Psychology , Swansea University , Swansea , UK.
authors.forename: Darren J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Edwards
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003118:Color Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D011930:Reaction Time / Q000502:physiology; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Binding; Context; Implicit; Memory