Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Sensory Memory01:14

Sensory Memory

634
Sensory memory captures information from the environment in its original form for a very brief duration, just long enough to be exposed to visual, auditory, and other senses. This type of memory is detailed and rich but quickly lost unless certain strategies are employed to transfer it into short-term or long-term memory. Sensory information is continuously bombarding the human brain, yet only a small fraction is absorbed, as most of it does not significantly impact daily life. For instance,...
634
Chunking and Rehearsal in Sensory Memory01:22

Chunking and Rehearsal in Sensory Memory

574
Improving short-term memory can be achieved through techniques like chunking and rehearsal. Chunking involves organizing information into larger, more manageable units. This technique is particularly useful for information that exceeds the typical memory span of between five and nine items. For instance, logging into an online account with a password like "ta89vq0179gz" involves grouping letters and numbers into three chunks—ta89, vq01, and 79gz. It makes large amounts of...
574
What is a Sensory System?01:31

What is a Sensory System?

100.9K
Sensory systems detect stimuli—such as light and sound waves—and transduce them into neural signals that can be interpreted by the nervous system. In addition to external stimuli detected by the senses, some sensory systems detect internal stimuli—such as the proprioceptors in muscles and tendons that send feedback about limb position.
100.9K
System of Memory01:23

System of Memory

7.2K
Memory is categorized into three major systems: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). These systems differ in their capacity and the duration for which they can hold information. Sensory memory captures raw sensory input from the environment, holding it for just a few seconds or less. For example, on hearing a brief, loud sound, like a car horn honking, the sound seems to linger in the mind for a moment even after it stops. This is an instance of sensory memory...
7.2K
Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

834
Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this...
834
Sensory Modalities01:15

Sensory Modalities

3.7K
Sensation typically is the process by which the sensory receptors and sense organs detect stimuli from the internal and external environment and transmit this information to the central nervous system for processing.
General senses refer to the broad category of sensory information detected by receptors in the body and can be further grouped into somatic and visceral senses. Somatic sensations include touch, pressure, temperature, and pain and are essential for navigating our environment and...
3.7K

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Towards a bridge between intracerebral and surface EEG signatures of conscious report.

Neuroscience of consciousness·2026
Same author

Attention and vigilance advantages related to formal musical training across childhood, adolescence and young adulthood.

British journal of psychology (London, England : 1953)·2026
Same author

Value-modulated attentional capture depends on awareness.

Psychonomic bulletin & review·2025
Same author

The aphantasia paradox: a Sartrean update.

Brain : a journal of neurology·2025
Same author

Investigating the gaze-driven reversed congruency effect in the spatial Stroop task: A distributional approach.

British journal of psychology (London, England : 1953)·2025
Same author

Is poor control over thoughts and emotions related to a higher tendency to delay tasks? The link between procrastination, emotional dysregulation and attentional control.

British journal of psychology (London, England : 1953)·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles
08:44

Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles

Published on: January 3, 2017

7.9K

Does spatial attention modulate sensory memory?

Fabiano Botta1, Elisa Martín-Arévalo1, Juan Lupiáñez1

  • 1Department of Experimental Psychology, and Brain, Mind, and Behavior Research Center (CIMCYC), University of Granada, Granada, Spain.

Plos One
|July 12, 2019
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Spatial attention impacts both sensory and visual working memory (VWM) from early stages. Endogenous attention boosts VWM more than sensory memory, while exogenous attention shows consistent effects across both memory types.

More Related Videos

The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition
05:15

The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition

Published on: February 19, 2018

11.3K
Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control
09:37

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control

Published on: July 5, 2015

9.5K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 22, 2026

Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles
08:44

Assessing Spatial Learning and Memory in Small Squamate Reptiles

Published on: January 3, 2017

7.9K
The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition
05:15

The Spatial Memory Game: Testing the Relationship Between Spatial Language, Object Knowledge, and Spatial Cognition

Published on: February 19, 2018

11.3K
Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control
09:37

Measurement of Neurophysiological Signals of Ignoring and Attending Processes in Attention Control

Published on: July 5, 2015

9.5K

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychology

Background:

  • Visual short-term memory (VSTM) is theorized to involve sensory memory and visual working memory (VWM).
  • Attention is strongly linked to VWM, but its role in sensory memory is debated.
  • Existing research shows conflicting evidence regarding attention's modulation of sensory memory representations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate how spatial attention differentially affects sensory and working memory contents.
  • To analyze attentional costs and benefits separately for each memory stage.
  • To determine if attention influences VSTM from its earliest stages.

Main Methods:

  • Examined the impact of spatial attention distribution on sensory and working memory performance.
  • Separately analyzed attentional costs (performance decrease at unattended locations) and benefits (performance increase at attended locations).
  • Differentiated between endogenous attention (voluntary) and exogenous attention (involuntary cueing).

Main Results:

  • Both sensory memory and VWM were significantly affected by spatial attention.
  • Spatial attention modulates VSTM content from the earliest storage stages.
  • Endogenous attention yielded greater benefits for VWM than sensory memory due to higher baseline performance in sensory memory.
  • Exogenous attention demonstrated consistent costs and benefits across both memory types, with sensory memory outperforming VWM at attended locations.

Conclusions:

  • Spatial attention influences VSTM at both sensory and working memory stages.
  • The effects of attention differ based on whether it is endogenously or exogenously driven.
  • Findings suggest attention plays a crucial role in shaping VSTM content from its initial encoding.