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Updated: Jun 25, 2026
08:06
Eye Movement Monitoring of Memory
Published on: August 15, 2010
The processing of spatial information in short-term memory: insights from eye tracking the path length effect
Katherine Guérard1, Sébastien Tremblay, Jean Saint-Aubin
1Ecole de Psychologie, Université Laval, 2325 rue des Bibliothèques, Québec, Canada. katherine.guerard.1@ulaval.ca
Acta Psychologica
|February 24, 2009
Summary
The path length effect in spatial memory is reduced when eye movements are suppressed. This suggests that visual attention and fixation duration play crucial roles in spatial serial recall.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Memory
Background:
- The path length effect describes how memory for spatial sequences is influenced by the distance between locations.
- Understanding the mechanisms of spatial serial memory is crucial for cognitive science.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of eye movements and rehearsal in the path length effect.
- To explore the encoding processes involved in spatial serial memory.
Main Methods:
- Spatial serial recall task with eye-tracking.
- Ocular suppression to control eye movements.
- Articulatory suppression to interfere with rehearsal.
Main Results:
- Ocular suppression eliminated the path length effect, indicating the importance of visual attention.
- Articulatory suppression impaired overall performance but did not affect the path length effect.
- Eye movement suppression during encoding or retention abolished the path length effect.
Conclusions:
- Eye movements and visual fixation are critical for the path length effect in spatial serial memory.
- Rehearsal is important for spatial serial memory, but the path length effect involves additional encoding processes.
- Perceptual organization and fixation duration contribute to spatial memory encoding.
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