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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 13, 2026

The (Spatial) Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition

The (Spatial) Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition

Published on: February 19, 2018

The floor effect: impoverished spatial memory for elevator buttons.

Michael Vendetti¹, Alan D Castel, Keith J Holyoak

¹Department of Psychology, University of California, Los Angeles, 1285 Franz Hall, Box 951563, Los Angeles, CA 90095, USA. michael.vendetti@ucla.edu

Attention, Perception & Psychophysics

|March 21, 2013

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Even frequent exposure and interaction don't guarantee memory. People struggle to recall elevator button layouts despite daily use, showing memory limitations.

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Assessing Human Spatial Navigation in a Virtual Space and its Sensitivity to Exercise

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Published on: February 19, 2018

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Published on: January 26, 2024

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Human-Computer Interaction
Neuroscience

Background:

Memory is often considered a byproduct of perception and exposure.
However, individuals exhibit poor recall for familiar objects like coins, challenging this notion.
Incidental memory for spatial information, particularly from frequent interactions, remains poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate spatial memory for frequently interacted objects.
To determine if physical interaction, beyond mere exposure, aids incidental spatial encoding.
To examine memory for elevator button layouts as a case study.

Main Methods:

Assessed recall and recognition of elevator button spatial layouts in office workers.
Correlated memory performance with elevator usage frequency and recency.
Conducted implicit pointing tasks in actual elevators to test spatial memory for specific buttons.

Main Results:

Participants demonstrated poor recall but above-chance recognition of the elevator panel layout.
Memory performance was linked to elevator usage frequency and recency.
While participants could locate familiar buttons (e.g., their office floor), memory for others was poor, even with frequent interaction.

Conclusions:

Frequent physical interaction does not guarantee accurate spatial memory.
Attention and expertise play complex roles in incidental memory formation.
Memory for spatial layouts is highly selective, even for everyday objects and environments.