'People that had already hidden objects tended to move further away from the starting place consistent with where people normally hide objects,' said Spetch. 'It was as though the hiding primed them into what kinds of locations things might be hidden in.'

Understanding peoples' hiding behaviours and considering their motivations and other factors (time, stress, value of an object) will help researchers map out and predict ideal hiding spots in any given space.

Gamers will benefit directly from this knowledge, as it will allow programmers to hide objects in more interesting locations within a game, based on peoples' real-life search strategies, said an U-A release.

Bulitko envisions the law enforcement application using computer-enhanced eyewear similar to technology currently available in military circles. By analysing a room, the search-enhancing goggles could help limit the number of possible spots where an object may be hidden.

'A computer can recognise spots in a room, and maybe it can make some suggestions like 'OK, check under that plank on the floor,'' he said.

The study was recently published in Learning and Motivation.