Pasquali, A. 1, 2 , Gaillard, V. 1 & Cleeremans, A. 1
1 Consciousness, Cognition, & Computation Group. Université Libre de Bruxelles. Brussels, Belgium.
2 Neurogenics Research Unit. Adam-NX. Solaro, France.
We hereby examine the influence of orientation to learn and stimulus structure on performance in the serial reaction time task - implicit learning paradigm involving sequentially structured visual stimuli. In six conditions inducing different interactions of these two factors, we assess the nature of the knowledge acquired by participants. Using the methods of PDP - comparison of transfer contrasts with post-test recognition scores-, ANCOVA - comparing reaction times and their covariance with the material's probability structure - and SDT - analysis of confidence judgements in recognition -, all three analyses converge and confirm weak explicit learning compensated by implicit influences when the probability of the material is intermediate between deterministic and pseudorandom. However, effects of orientation for that same material condition are only captured by the second and third methods, showing that participants explicitly engaged in the learning process effectively acquire a large amount of explicit knowledge, but of poor quality. Thus implicit learning would automatically occur in relation with the material structure, whereas explicit learning would depend on both the orientation to learn and an ability to match the material structure with the coherent mental models allowing control of the acquired knowledge.