Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 16, 2026
08:12
A Psychophysics Paradigm for the Collection and Analysis of Similarity Judgments
Published on: March 1, 2022
Unpacking similarity effects in visual memory search: categorical, semantic, and visual contributions
Linlin Shang1, Lu-Chun Yeh1,2, Yuanfang Zhao3
1Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University, 6525 GD Nijmegen, the Netherlands.
Journal of Memory and Language
|June 15, 2026
Summary
Visual search memory relies on category, semantic, and visual similarity. Short-term memory search prioritizes visual and category cues, while long-term memory search emphasizes semantic information.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Memory
Background:
- Visual memory search compares probe items to memorized items.
- Distractor probes from the same category as memory set items are rejected slower than those from different categories.
- Previous research could not distinguish between visual and semantic contributions to category effects in memory search.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the roles of categorical, semantic, and visual similarity in short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) search.
- To differentiate the contributions of visual, semantic, and categorical similarity to memory search performance.
- To compare memory search processes in STM versus LTM.
Main Methods:
- Employed old/new recognition tasks for visual STM and LTM search.
- Utilized regression analyses to model trial-wise reaction time variability to distractor probes.
- Included predictors for categorical, semantic (distributional model), and visual (deep neural network) target-distractor similarity.
Main Results:
- Categorical, semantic, and visual similarity each uniquely explained variance in memory search performance.
- STM search was more influenced by visual and categorical similarity.
- LTM search was more influenced by semantic similarity.
Conclusions:
- Memory search utilizes distinct representational features (visual, semantic, categorical).
- STM and LTM search exhibit both shared and distinct characteristics.
- Findings clarify the nature of representations underlying visual memory search.
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