Addressing misconceptions of fast mapping in adults

Abstract

Studies of fast mapping (FM) in adults have included both positive results and failures to replicate. I argue that although conflicting studies warrant caution, FM findings are nonetheless promising and intriguing. I separate the issue into distinct questions: whether FM has hippocampal independence, and whether it has unique cognitive consequences. I clarify some misunderstandings and identify limitations that may contribute to failures to find learning from FM in some amnesic patients. Finally, I argue that the array of behavioral findings in healthy adults is consistent with computational and neural models.

Keywords: Learning; amnesia; fast mapping; hippocampus; lexical; memory; neocortex; words.