Event memory and moving in a well-known environment.

Area of Science:

• Cognitive Psychology
• Human-Computer Interaction
• Spatial Cognition

Background:

• Previous research indicates object accessibility follows a spatial gradient in narrative comprehension.
• Object accessibility is typically best in the protagonist's current location and decreases with distance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate spatial gradients of object accessibility in interactive virtual environments.
• To compare findings from interactive simulations with established narrative comprehension research.

Main Methods:

• Participants memorized a map and navigated a virtual environment.
• Object name pairs were presented, requiring participants to identify if objects were in the same room.
• Experiments involved varying delays and movement through virtual spaces.

Main Results:

• No clear spatial gradient of object accessibility was observed.
• Memory was more accessible for objects in currently occupied locations, especially after short delays.
• Objects along the movement pathway showed a temporary suppression effect that diminished over time.

Conclusions:

• The spatial gradient effect may be context-dependent, differing between narrative and interactive environments.
• The event horizon model of event cognition provides a framework for understanding these findings.
• Interactive navigation may rely on different memory access mechanisms than passive narrative consumption.