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    Examining Overshadowing and Blocking in Human Spatial Learning using a Virtual Water Maze


    Deery, Róisín (2024) Examining Overshadowing and Blocking in Human Spatial Learning using a Virtual Water Maze. Masters thesis, National University of Ireland Maynooth.

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    Abstract

    Spatial navigation and learning have been previously investigated in animal and human studies with two major theories dominating the literature, associative learning theory (Pearce, 2009) and cognitive mapping theory (O Keefe & Nadel, 1978). Cue competition is a key feature of associative learning theory. Overshadowing and blocking are two cue competition effects which have featured in previous animal and human studies. The role of landmarks has been examined in animal studies using the Morris water maze (Morris, 1984). This task requires animals to navigate around a circular pool of water and locate a hidden platform. Animals use cues in the environment to learn the hidden platform's location over a series of trials. NavWell (Commins et al., 2020) is a virtual Morris Water Maze task developed by the Commins Lab to study human spatial behaviour and learning. This thesis examined overshadowing and blocking in healthy young human participants using NavWell. In experiment 1 (overshadowing), landmarks positioned near the goal controlled searching behaviour more than the distal landmarks demonstrating an overshadowing effect. Additionally, distal landmarks appeared to have been ignored suggesting that participants use a strategy requiring the least effort when learning. In experiment 2 (blocking), a single landmark learned in phase 1 did not interfere with learning of a novel landmark introduced in phase 2 and as such, a blocking effect did not occur. As cues were equidistant and proximity was not a factor, all cues were treated equally by participants and integrated into a cognitive map. Evidence for an associative account of learning (experiment 1), support for a cognitive mapping-based approach to learning (experiment 2) and the influence of proximal cues were discussed.
    Item Type: Thesis (Masters)
    Keywords: Overshadowing; Blocking; Human Spatial Learning; Virtual Water Maze;
    Academic Unit: Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
    Item ID: 19944
    Depositing User: IR eTheses
    Date Deposited: 05 Jun 2025 13:35
    URI: https://mural.maynoothuniversity.ie/id/eprint/19944
    Use Licence: This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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