Influences of domain knowledge on segmentation and memory
Related Experiment Video
Updated: Nov 22, 2025

The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition
Published on: February 19, 2018
Kimberly M Newberry1, Daniel P Feller2, Heather R Bailey3
1Department of Psychology, Shenandoah University, 600 Millwood Ave., Halpin Harrison Hall 117, Winchester, VA, 22601, USA. knewberr@su.edu.
Abstract:
Much research has shown that experts possess superior memory in their domain of expertise. This memory benefit has been proposed to be the result of various encoding mechanisms, such as chunking and differentiation. Another potential encoding mechanism that is associated with memory is event segmentation, which is the process by which people parse continuous information into meaningful, discrete units. Previous research has found evidence that segmentation, to some extent, is affected by top-down processing. To date, few studies have investigated the influence of expertise on segmentation, and questions about expertise, segmentation ability, and their impact on memory remain. The goal of the current study was to investigate the influence of expertise on segmentation and memory ability for two different domains: basketball and Overwatch. Participants with high and low knowledge for basketball and with low knowledge for Overwatch viewed and segmented videos at coarse and fine grains, then completed memory tests. Differences in segmentation ability and memory were present between experts and control novices, specifically for the basketball videos; however, experts' segmentation only predicted memory for activities for which knowledge was lacking. Overall, this research suggests that experts' superior memory is not due to their segmentation ability and contributes to a growing body of literature showing evidence supporting conceptual effects on segmentation.
More Related Videos
12:08From Voxels to Knowledge: A Practical Guide to the Segmentation of Complex Electron Microscopy 3D-Data
Published on: August 13, 2014
07:59Using Practice Testing, Public Speaking, and Source Monitoring to Examine the Influences of Learning Strategies and Stress on Episodic Memory
Published on: June 14, 2019
Related Concept Videos
Chunking
The principle behind chunking...
Understanding Memory
Impact of Schemas
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
Chunking and Rehearsal in Sensory Memory
Storage