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Tradeoffs between Item and Order Information in Short-Term Memory.
Dominic Guitard1, Jean Saint-Aubin2, Nelson Cowan3
1Université de Moncton and University of Missouri.
Journal of Memory and Language
|September 5, 2022
Summary
Dual-tasking memory tests reveal that processing item and order information shares common resources. Interference costs depend on task demands, with order processing being more affected than item processing.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Memory Research
Background:
- Previous research indicated dual-list impairment in memory tests.
- Guitard et al. (2021) found greater impairment on order tests when both lists were order-encoded.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate the basis of interference costs in dual-task memory.
- Contrast the conflicting representation and common resource hypotheses of memory processing.
Main Methods:
- A novel task was designed where participants expected item, order, or dual-type memory tests.
- Five experiments were conducted to analyze dual-attention costs under varying task conditions.
Main Results:
- An asymmetry was observed, with larger dual-attention costs for order tests compared to item tests.
- The magnitude of this effect varied depending on the expected test type.
Conclusions:
- Results support a common resource hypothesis for memory.
- Both item and order processing occur regardless of expected test type.
- Processing resources are divided between item and order codes based on task demands.
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