Location transfer of perceptual learning: Passive stimulation and double training

• Passive exposure is not sufficient to enable location transfer of perceptual learning.
• Performing a second task at the transfer location makes learning generalizable.
• To induce learning transfer, the first and second tasks can involve different stimuli.
• Learning transfer is mutual when the first and second tasks are alternated trial by trial.

Specificity has always been considered one of the hallmarks of perceptual learning, suggesting that performance improvement would reflect changes at early stages of visual analyses (e.g., V1). More recently, however, this view has been challenged by studies documenting complete transfer of learning among different spatial locations or stimulus orientations when a double-training procedure is adopted. Here, we further investigate the conditions under which transfer of visual perceptual learning takes place, confirming that the passive stimulation at the transfer location seems to be insufficient to overcome learning specificity. By contrast, learning transfer is complete when performing a secondary task at the transfer location. Interestingly, (i) transfer emerges when the primary and secondary tasks are intermingled on a trial-by-trial basis, and (ii) the effects of learning generalization appear to be reciprocal, namely the primary task also serves to enable transfer of the secondary task. However, if the secondary task is not performed for a sufficient number of trials, then transfer is not enabled. Overall, the results lend support to the recent view that task-relevant perceptual learning may involve high-level stages of visual analyses.