# The role of environmental contextual cues in sequence learning: evidence from a virtual maze context

## TL;DR

This study shows that a meaningful spatial context, like a virtual maze, can help people learn sequences better by creating a mental map.

## Contribution

The study demonstrates that environmental context can enhance sequence learning through spatial representation.

## Key findings

- A vertical maze context showed slightly better performance than a horizontal maze, but learning effects were similar.
- Sequence learning was significantly better in a maze context compared to no context.
- Environmental context facilitates learning by inducing a mental map similar to wayfinding.

## Abstract

Studies on sequence learning usually focus on single, isolated stimuli that are presented sequentially. For example, in the serial reaction time (RT) task, stimuli are either presented in a predictable sequence or in a random sequence, and better performance with the predictable sequence is taken as evidence for sequence-specific learning. Yet, little is known about the role of environmental context cues in sequence learning. If the target stimuli are embedded in a meaningful context, would this facilitate learning by providing helpful contextual associations or would it hinder learning by adding distracting stimuli? This question was examined in two studies. A pilot study compared sequence learning in a virtual maze with a horizontal vs. vertical maze context, in which arrow stimuli guide spatial lever movement responses that resulted in a corresponding virtual transport on the screen. The results showed only overall somewhat better performance with the vertical maze compared to the horizontal maze, but general practice effects and sequence-specific learning effects were the same for both contexts. The main study compared sequence learning with a maze context to sequence learning of arrows without a maze context. The results showed significantly better learning with maze context than without context. These data suggest that the maze context facilitated sequence learning by inducing a meaningful spatial representation (“mental map”) similar to that formed in wayfinding.