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Visual Working Memory Resources Are Best Characterized as Dynamic, Quantifiable Mnemonic Traces
Author(s) -
Veksler Bella Z.,
Boyd Rachel,
Myers Christopher W.,
Gunzelmann Glenn,
Neth Hansjörg,
Gray Wayne D.
Publication year - 2017
Publication title -
topics in cognitive science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.191
H-Index - 56
eISSN - 1756-8765
pISSN - 1756-8757
DOI - 10.1111/tops.12248
Subject(s) - working memory , construct (python library) , mnemonic , computer science , resource (disambiguation) , fixation (population genetics) , eye tracking , task (project management) , perception , cognitive psychology , short term memory , artificial intelligence , psychology , cognition , neuroscience , computer network , management , economics , programming language , population , demography , sociology
Visual working memory (VWM) is a construct hypothesized to store a small amount of accurate perceptual information that can be brought to bear on a task. Much research concerns the construct's capacity and the precision of the information stored. Two prominent theories of VWM representation have emerged: slot‐based and continuous‐resource mechanisms. Prior modeling work suggests that a continuous resource that varies over trials with variable capacity and a potential to make localization errors best accounts for the empirical data. Questions remain regarding the variability in VWM capacity and precision. Using a novel eye‐tracking paradigm, we demonstrate that VWM facilitates search and exhibits effects of fixation frequency and recency, particularly for prior targets. Whereas slot‐based memory models cannot account for the human data, a novel continuous‐resource model does capture the behavioral and eye tracking data, and identifies the relevant resource as item activation.