Responses to a relevant stimulus dimension are faster and more accurate when the stimulus and response spatially correspond compared to when they do not, even though stimulus position is irrelevant (Simon effect). It has been demonstrated that practicing with an incompatible spatial mapping before performing a Simon task can eliminate this effect. In the present study we assessed whether a learned spatially incompatible stimulus-response mapping can be transferred to a non-spatial task. To this aim, we ran two experiments in which groups of participants performed a spatial compatibility task with either a compatible or an incompatible mapping and then transferred, after a 5 minutes delay, to a Stroop task. In Experiment 1 responses were executed by pressing one of two keys on the keyboard in both practice and transfer tasks. In Experiment 2, responses were manual in the practice task and vocal in the transfer task. The spatially incompatible practice eliminated the Stroop effect only when responses were manual in both tasks. These results suggest that transfer effects can occur even when the practice and transfer tasks do not share the same spatial nature, as long as both task require a bimanual response.

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