Evidence for shifting cognitive strategies when icons appear in unexpected locations

The present study examines the cognitive effects of placing web targets in unexpected spatial locations. Previously, we found evidence for cognitive conflict when targets occur in unexpected locations (e.g., cart, top left), and results were consistent with a dynamical systems strategy. Here, we present a new analysis examining evidence for both dual and dynamical systems strategies. Participants clicked on targets located in either expected (e.g., cart, top right) or unexpected (e.g., cart, top left) locations while mouse trajectories were continuously recorded. Classifying actual mouse trajectories based on prototype trajectories associated with each model revealed that curved trajectories increased (+11%) while straight and change of mind trajectories decreased (-12%) when targets occurred in unexpected locations (p < .001). These results suggest that rather than employing a single cognitive strategy, users shift from a primarily dual-systems to dynamical systems strategy when targets occur in unexpected locations.