Individual differences in working memory capacity are unrelated to the magnitudes of retrocue benefits

AbstractPrevious studies have associated visual working memory (VWM) capacity with the use of internal attention. Retrocues, which direct internal attention to a particular object or feature dimension, can improve VWM performance (i.e., retrocue benefit, RCB). However, so far, no study has investigated the relationship between VWM capacity and the magnitudes of RCBs obtained from object-based and dimension-based retrocues. The present study explored individual differences in the magnitudes of object- and dimension-based RCBs and their relationships with VWM capacity. Participants completed a VWM capacity measurement, an object-based cue task, and a dimension-based cue task. We confirmed that both object- and dimension-based retrocues could improve VWM performance. We also found a significant positive correlation between the magnitudes of object- and dimension-based RCB indexes, suggesting a partly overlapping mechanism between the use of object- and dimension-based retrocues. However, our results provided no evidence for a correlation between VWM capacity and the magnitudes of the object- or dimension-based RCBs. Although inadequate attention control is usually assumed to be associated with VWM capacity, the results suggest that the internal attention mechanism for using retrocues in VWM retention is independent of VWM capacity.

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Individual Differences in Working Memory Capacity Are Unrelated to the Magnitude of Benefits from Object- and Dimension-Based Retro-Cues

10.31234/osf.io/jzyfr ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Chaoxiong Ye ◽

Qianru Xu ◽

huzhonghua ◽

Piia Astikainen ◽

Yongjie Zhu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Recall Performance ◽

Working Memory Capacity ◽

Object Based ◽

Visual Dimension ◽

Feature Dimension ◽

The Relationship ◽

Better Than ◽

Internal Attention

Previous studies have associated visual working memory (VWM) capacity with the ability to use internal attention. Internal attention’s effect on VWM has been studied mostly using object-based retro-cues, which can direct internal attention to particular objects. In addition, by using dimension-based retro-cues recent studies have found that directing internal attention to a feature dimension in VWM can improve memory recall performance. An object-based cue can direct attention to one or several objects of the memory array, while a dimension-based cue can direct attention to one visual dimension (e.g., color or orientation) of all memory items. Many studies show that retro-cues can improve VWM performance (i.e., retro-cue benefit, RCB). Although the mechanism of object-based retro-cues has been studied for over ten years, no study to date has investigated the relationship between VWM capacity and the benefits of dimension-based retro-cues. The present study aims to explore individual differences in VWM capacity and their relationship with the use of dimension- and object-based retro-cues. We first measured participants’ VWM capacity and then asked them to conduct a dimension-based cue task and an object-based cue task. In the cue taks, we used the offset index to quantify participants’ VWM performance, and we used the RCB index to quantify the magnitude of the benefits obtained from retro-cues. We found that performed better than low-VWM-capacity participants in both dimension- and object-based cue tasks. In addition, although we identified certain RCBs obtained from both dimension- and object-based cues, we did not find any significant correlation between individual VWM capacity differences and the magnitude of the RCB obtained from object- or dimension-based cues. These results suggest that VWM capacity is not related to RCBs’ magnitude, and thus VWM storage and the use of internal attention are independent mechanisms. Moreover, we found that the participants who benefitted the most from object-based retro-cues also benefitted the most from dimension-based retro-cues in color reports; ; however, this pattern was not found in the orientation report trials. This finding suggests a partly overlapping mechanism between the use of the two retro-cue types. The present study provides the first evidence of the relationship between VWM capacity and the dimension-based internal attention process.

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Individual Differences in Attention Control

Working Memory ◽

10.1093/oso/9780198842286.003.0007 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 175-211

Author(s):

Cody A. Mashburn ◽

Jason S. Tsukahara ◽

Randall W. Engle

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Fluid Intelligence ◽

Working Memory Capacity ◽

Memory Capacity ◽

Attention Control ◽

Executive Attention ◽

Attention Theory ◽

Attentional Resources ◽

The Relationship

This chapter outlines the executive attention theory of higher-order cognition, which argues that individual differences in the ability to maintain information in working memory and disengage from irrelevant information is inextricably linked to variation in the ability to deploy domain-free attentional resources in a goal-directed fashion. It also summarizes recent addendums to the theory, particularly regarding the relationship between attention control, working memory capacity, and fluid intelligence. Specifically, the chapter argues that working memory capacity and fluid intelligence measures require different allocations of the same attentional resources, a fact which accounts for their strong correlation. At various points, it addresses theoretical alternatives to the executive attention theory of working memory capacity and empirical complications of the study of attention control, including difficulties deriving coherent attention control latent factors.

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