Priming in spatial memory: A flow model approach

Abstract

Theories on spatial priming usually explain the reduction of reaction time (the priming effect) by spreading activation. In the field of spatial cognition concurrent models like post-lexical priming mechanisms or compound cue theories (expectancy-based priming theories) have not been consequently discussed. None of the existing theories, however, provides a sufficient explanation for both kinds of findings, various distance effects and alignment effects in episodic spatial memory. Moreover, all existing theories need a series of additional assumptions and transformations to translate theoretical magnitudes like activation or familiarity into reaction time latencies, the transformation from activation or familiarity to reaction times. This unsatisfying state of the art implies to suggest a new approach to think about spatial priming. The illustrated solution regards priming as a specific solution of the Navier-Stokes equation. Empirical data support the suggested model.