A1 Journal article (refereed)
Encoding specificity instead of online integration of real-world spatial regularities for objects in working memory (2022)

Liu, X., Liu, R., Guo, L., Astikainen, P., & Ye, C. (2022). Encoding specificity instead of online integration of real-world spatial regularities for objects in working memory. Journal of Vision, 22(9), Article 8. https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.22.9.8

JYU authors or editors

Astikainen, Piia
Ye, Chaoxiong

Publication details

All authors or editors: Liu, Xinyang; Liu, Ruyi; Guo, Lijing; Astikainen, Piia; Ye, Chaoxiong

Journal or series: Journal of Vision

eISSN: 1534-7362

Publication year: 2022

Publication date: 30/08/2022

Volume: 22

Issue number: 9

Article number: 8

Publisher: Association for Research in Vision and Ophthalmology (ARVO)

Publication country: United States

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1167/jov.22.9.8

Research data link: https://osf.io/ctmpr/

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/82909

Web address of parallel published publication (pre-print): https://doi.org/10.31234/osf.io/u2vrd

Abstract

Most objects show high degrees of spatial regularity (e.g. beach umbrellas appear above, not under, beach chairs). The spatial regularities of real-world objects benefit visual working memory (VWM), but the mechanisms behind this spatial regularity effect remain unclear. The “encoding specificity” hypothesis suggests that spatial regularity will enhance the visual encoding process but will not facilitate the integration of information online during VWM maintenance. The “perception-alike” hypothesis suggests that spatial regularity will function in both visual encoding and online integration during VWM maintenance. We investigated whether VWM integrates sequentially presented real-world objects by focusing on the existence of the spatial regularity effect. Throughout five experiments, we manipulated the presentation (simultaneous vs. sequential) and regularity (with vs. without regularity) of memory arrays among pairs of real-world objects. The spatial regularity of memory objects presented simultaneously, but not sequentially, improved VWM performance. We also examined whether memory load, verbal suppression and masking, and memory array duration hindered the spatial regularity effect in sequential presentation. We found a stable absence of the spatial regularity effect, suggesting that the participants were unable to integrate real-world objects based on spatial regularities online. Our results support the encoding specificity hypothesis, wherein the spatial regularity of real-world objects can enhance the efficiency of VWM encoding, but VWM cannot exploit spatial regularity to help organize sampled sequential information into meaningful integrations.

Keywords: memory (cognition); working memory; visual memory; spatial perception; learning; attention; perceptual psychology