Visual Short-Term Memory for Coherent and Sequential Motion: A rTMS Investigation

We investigated the role of the human medio-temporal complex (hMT+) in the memory encoding and storage of a sequence of four coherently moving random dot kinematograms (RDKs), by applying repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) during an early or late phase of the retention interval. Moreover, in a second experiment, we also tested whether disrupting the functional integrity of hMT+ during the early phase impaired the precision of the encoded motion directions. Overall, results showed that both recognition accuracy and precision were worse in middle serial positions, suggesting the occurrence of primacy and recency effects. We found that rTMS delivered during the early (but not the late) phase of the retention interval was able to impair not only recognition of RDKs, but also the precision of the retained motion direction. However, such impairment occurred only for RDKs presented in middle positions along the presented sequence, where performance was already closer to chance level. Altogether these findings suggest an involvement of hMT+ in the memory encoding of visual motion direction. Given that both position sequence and rTMS modulated not only recognition but also the precision of the stored information, these findings are in support of a model of visual short-term memory with a variable resolution of each stored item, consistent with the assigned amount of memory resources, and that such item-specific memory resolution is supported by the functional integrity of area hMT+.

UKRAINIAN NATIONAL ARCHETYPES AS COMPONENTS OF CULTURE

Purpose of research systematization of information about Ukrainian national archetypes, determination of their characteristics and ways of influencing the formation of Ukrainian culture. Methodology. In achieving this goal, the following research methods were applied: historical, observation, analysis, comparison, periodization method, generalization of the problem studied. Scientific Novelty is to determine the role of Ukrainian national archetypes in the formation and development of culture. Conclusions. Cultural archetypes and historical forms form the foundations of any national culture, including Ukrainian. They determine its content and functional integrity. The basis of our research was the Jungian concept, according to which socio-cultural development provides for a vivid embodiment of archetypes in a particular culture, and vice versa, inhibition of social processes through the absence of a specific archetype. The very concept of an archetype remains multifaceted and voluminous.Ukrainian national cultural archetypes are clearly expressed in myths, legends, fairy tales, customs and rituals, traditions, folklore, which summarizes the experience of our ancestors.