Figure 1.

Learning task. In phase I, participants learned an age-hierarchy of six galaxies based on trial-by-trial feedback (learning trials, only neighboring galaxies were presented). In inference trials, participants were required to decide which of two non-neighboring items was older, without receiving feedback about the correct answer. In phase II, ~24 h after phase I, participants were presented with two hierarchies comprising 8 galaxies each. One of the hierarchies (related) contained four galaxies already learned in phase I, and four completely new galaxies. The other hierarchy (novel) contained only new galaxies. Participants learned the positions of the new items again through trial and error in learning trials. In inference trials, the ability to put new items into the already existing hierarchy was tested, as only non-neighboring items were presented. Schema-based memory is reflected in better learning performance for the related compared with the novel hierarchy in phase II.