Visual working memory load plays limited, to no role in encoding distractor objects during visual search

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-22
Author(s):  
Mark Lavelle ◽  
David Alonso ◽  
Roy Luria ◽  
Trafton Drew
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Search ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Working Memory Load

Visual working memory load does not affect the overall stimulus processing time in visual search

2019 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 330-343
Author(s):  
Keyun Xin ◽  
Zhi Li
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Search ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Processing Time ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Response Selection ◽  
Working Memory Load ◽  
Stimulus Processing ◽  
Load Effect ◽  
Factors Affecting

The dual-task paradigm is widely used in studying the interaction between visual search and working memory. A number of studies showed that holding items in working memory delays the overall response time (RT) in visual search, but it does not affect the efficiency of search (i.e., the slope of the RT × set size function). Why the memory load merely affects the overall RT? Some researchers proposed that this load-effect on overall RT may be caused by factors that only affect response selection processes, while others argued that it may reflect the effect of visual working memory load on visual search. This study investigated the two competing hypotheses by measuring the threshold stimulus exposure duration (TSED) for successfully fulfilling a search task. Experiment 1 replicated the large overall RT difference with the RT method but only found a small though reliable overall TSED difference with the TSED method. Experiment 2, with better controls, found no TSED difference by manipulating the visual working memory load. Experiment 3 showed that the TSED is not influenced by processes in the response selection stage. The present findings suggest that the overall stimulus processing time in visual search is not affected by visual working memory load and that the effect of memory load on overall RT is largely due to factors affecting response selection alone.

Visual Search Facilitation in Repeated Displays Depends on Visuospatial Working Memory

2012 ◽  
Vol 59 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angela A. Manginelli ◽  
Franziska Geringswald ◽  
Stefan Pollmann
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Search ◽  
Control Experiment ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Contextual Cueing ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Visuospatial Working Memory ◽  
Working Memory Load ◽  
Memory Resources

When distractor configurations are repeated over time, visual search becomes more efficient, even if participants are unaware of the repetition. This contextual cueing is a form of incidental, implicit learning. One might therefore expect that contextual cueing does not (or only minimally) rely on working memory resources. This, however, is debated in the literature. We investigated contextual cueing under either a visuospatial or a nonspatial (color) visual working memory load. We found that contextual cueing was disrupted by the concurrent visuospatial, but not by the color working memory load. A control experiment ruled out that unspecific attentional factors of the dual-task situation disrupted contextual cueing. Visuospatial working memory may be needed to match current display items with long-term memory traces of previously learned displays.

scholarly journals Visual working memory load does not eliminate visuomotor repetition effects

2019 ◽  
Vol 82 (3) ◽  
pp. 1290-1303
Author(s):  
Jason Rajsic ◽  
Matthew D. Hilchey ◽  
Geoffrey F. Woodman ◽  
Jay Pratt
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Visual Working Memory ◽  
Memory Load ◽  
Repetition Effects ◽  
Working Memory Load
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