We investigated in two experiments if handball and action video game players show improved implicit learning of repeated spatial configurations for efficient search guidance in comparison to a control group without sport or video game proficiency.To this end, we used both a sport-specific pseudo 3-D contextual cueing task and the original contextual cueing paradigm (Chun & Jiang, 1998). Contextual cueing was present in all groups. However, handball and action video game players did not differ in the strength of contextual cueing from the control group. Action video game players had shorter search times than controls in both experiments. In contrast, the handball players searched faster than controls in the sport-specific displays of Experiment 1 but not in the symbolic search task of Experiment 2. Thus, our findings provide no evidence that contextual cueing is a limiting factor for expert performance in the domain of team sports or action video game playing.

We tested if high-level athletes or action video game players have superior context learning skills. Incidental context learning was tested in a spatial contextual cueing paradigm. We found comparable contextual cueing of visual search in repeated displays in high-level amateur handball players, dedicated action video game players and normal controls. In contrast, both handball players and action video game players showed faster search than controls, measured as search time per display item, independent of display repetition. Thus, our data do not indicate superior context learning skills in athletes or action video game players. Rather, both groups showed more efficient visual search in abstract displays that were not related to sport-specific situations.

25We tested if high-level athletes or action video game players have superior context 26 learning skills. Incidental context learning was tested in a spatial contextual cueing 27 paradigm. We found comparable contextual cueing of visual search in repeated 28 displays in high-level amateur handball players, dedicated action video game 29 players and normal controls. In contrast, both handball players and action video 30 game players showed faster search than controls, measured as search time per 31 display item, independent of display repetition. Thus, our data do not indicate 32 superior context learning skills in athletes or action video game players. Rather, 33 both groups showed more efficient visual search in abstract displays that were not 34 related to sport-specific situations. 35 36 37

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24We investigated in two experiments if handball and action video game players show 25 improved implicit learning of repeated spatial configurations for efficient search 26 guidance in comparison to a control group without sport or video game proficiency. 27To this end, we used both a sport-specific pseudo 3-D contextual cueing task and