The Influence of Explicit and Implicit Memory Processes on Experience-dependent eye Movements

AbstractIn some studies experience-dependent eye movements have been reported with as well as without conscious awareness. Thus, our study aims to clarify if experience-dependent eye movements are influenced by mainly implicit or explicit memory processes. Participants saw in experiment 1 photographed scenes that were novel, repeated or repeated with a manipulation (object added /removed). In experiment 2, participants viewed novel and repeated scenes distributed over three days. Participants subsequently had to recognize whether the scenes were novel, repeated or manipulated. In both experiments, experience-dependent eye movements were observed when participants were aware of the manipulation or repetition as well as when they were unaware. In contrast to previous studies, our results suggest that explicit as well as implicit memory processes have an influence on experience-dependent eye movements