Implicit learning of second-, third-, and fourth-order adjacent and nonadjacent sequential dependencies.

Serial reaction time (SRT) task studies have established that people can implicitly learn first- and second-order adjacent dependencies. Sequential confounds have made it impossible to draw conclusions regarding learning of nonadjacent dependencies and learning of third- and fourth-order adjacent dependencies. Addressing the confounds, the present study shows that people can implicitly learn second-, third-, and fourth-order adjacent and nonadjacent dependencies embedded in probabilistic sequences of target locations.