What Is Really Learned in Artificial Grammar Learning? Implicit Intention for Learning in the Selective Attention Process

This study aimed to investigate what is really learned in artificial grammar (AG) learning and how selective attention influences AG learning. In the learning phase, depending on the aspects of GLOCAL strings—chains of compound letters that can allow two different AGs— participants were presented with two different series of letter strings. Their selective attention was manipulated by the experimental instructions. The results of the grammaticality judgment task following the learning phase revealed three findings. First, in accordance with the literature, selective attention was required for AG learning. Second, with regard to grammatical judgment, there was no difference between novel and presented strings, suggesting that grammatical judgment is based not on the representation of the presented strings themselves but on the AG extracted from them. Finally, there is evidence that selective attention works positively for the inhibition of the stimuli.