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Visual and spatial working memory are not that dissociated after all: a time-based resource-sharing account
Evie Vergauwe1, Pierre Barrouillet, Valérie Camos
1Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Geneva, Switzerland. Evie.Vergauwe@unige.ch
Summary
Working memory interference patterns are driven by processing load, not material domain. This suggests a time-based resource sharing mechanism underlies visuo-spatial working memory performance.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Memory
Background:
- Visuo-spatial working memory research has proposed domain-specific (visual vs. spatial) and process-specific (storage vs. processing) fractionation models.
- Existing models do not fully account for interference patterns observed in working memory tasks.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of central time-based resource sharing in visuo-spatial working memory.
- To determine if processing load or material domain (visual/spatial) primarily influences interference patterns.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments utilized computer-paced working memory span tasks and a selective interference paradigm.
- Visual and spatial storage were combined with visual and spatial online processing components.
- Cognitive load of processing components was manipulated to assess impact on concurrent maintenance.
Main Results:
- Recall performance was consistently determined by the cognitive load of processing, irrespective of the material's domain (visual or spatial).
- Interference effects were modulated by processing demands rather than whether processing and storage were within the same domain.
- Findings challenge domain- and process-based fractionation models of visuo-spatial working memory.
Conclusions:
- Evidence supports a time-based resource-sharing mechanism as a fundamental aspect of visuo-spatial working memory.
- Cognitive load, mediated by time-based resource allocation, is a critical factor in working memory performance and interference.
- This mechanism offers a unified explanation for interference across different visuo-spatial working memory tasks.
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