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Abstract:
Abstract: The place navigation task has been extensively
employed in studies on basic processes in learning and memory.
Morris (1981) demonstrated an interesting phenomenon he termed
"instantaneous transfer" - ability of trained rats to directly
navigate to a fixed, hidden goal when started from a novel starting
location. Cognitive mapping theory (O'Keefe & Nadel, 1978)
suggests that this ability is based upon the construction of a
topographical map that includes goal location in relation to distal
cues. Sutherland et al. (1987) reported findings similar to those
of Morris (1981), but suggest that prior experience with
trajectories from the vicinity of the novel start location to the
goal was necessary for "instantaneous transfer" (but see Matthews
& Best, 1997). We used a virtual Morris water task to
investigate whether the same limitations inferred by Sutherland et
al.(1987) apply to people. Independent groups were trained with
different restrictions on movement and viewing. Some were
restricted from moving to certain areas, some had a subset of cues
unavailable, or both; some had no restrictions. Following training,
only subjects without movement or viewing restrictions showed
direct paths from a novel starting location. The results, generally
consistent with those reported by Sutherland et al. (1987) using
rats, suggest that there are important limitations on the
flexibility of place learning by people.
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