A simple-rule learning trap occurs when people show suboptimal category learning due to insufficient exploration of the learning environment. By combining experimental methods and computational modeling, the current study investigated the impact of two key factors believed to play essential roles in the development of a simple-rule learning trap:…

We examined whether variations in contextual diversity, spacing, and retrieval practice influenced how well adults learned new words from reading experience. Eye movements were recorded as adults read novel words embedded in sentences. In the learning phase, unfamiliar words were presented either in the same sentence repeated four times (same…