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Maintenance of auditory-nonverbal information in working memory
Alexander Soemer1, Satoru Saito2
1Graduate School of Education, Kyoto University, Yoshida-honmachi, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto, 606-8501, Japan. alexander@soemurai.de.
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
|May 13, 2015
Summary
Working memory research suggests auditory information uses a phonological code. Experiments indicate auditory imagery, not articulation, may maintain nonverbal sounds in working memory.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Auditory Perception
Background:
- The multicomponent model of working memory posits a phonological code for auditory information, maintained via articulation.
- This model is challenged by sounds difficult to verbally label or articulate.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the role of articulatory rehearsal in maintaining auditory-nonverbal information in working memory.
- To test the multicomponent model's hypothesis using challenging sound stimuli.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted with participants maintaining 2-4 sounds varying in timbre.
- A delay of up to 12 seconds was used, with concurrent secondary tasks.
- Stimuli were designed to be difficult to verbally label and articulate.
Main Results:
- No strong evidence supported articulatory rehearsal for auditory-nonverbal information maintenance.
- Results suggest auditory imagery may play a role in maintaining such sounds.
- Maintenance mechanisms may differ from those for verbal information.
Conclusions:
- Findings challenge the universality of articulatory rehearsal in working memory for all auditory information.
- Auditory imagery emerges as a potential key mechanism for nonverbal auditory memory.
- Implications for refining multicomponent models of working memory are discussed.
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