A1 Journal article (refereed)
Interval between two sequential arrays determines their storage state in visual working memory (2020)

Li, Z., Zhang, J., Liang, T., Ye, C., & Liu, Q. (2020). Interval between two sequential arrays determines their storage state in visual working memory. Scientific Reports, 10, Article 7706. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64825-4

JYU authors or editors

Publication details

All authors or editors: Li, Ziyuan; Zhang, Jiafeng; Liang, Tengfei; Ye, Chaoxiong; Liu, Qiang

Journal or series: Scientific Reports

eISSN: 2045-2322

Publication year: 2020

Volume: 10

Article number: 7706

Publisher: Nature Publishing Group

Publication country: United Kingdom

Publication language: English

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-020-64825-4

Publication open access: Openly available

Publication channel open access: Open Access channel

Publication is parallel published (JYX): https://jyx.jyu.fi/handle/123456789/69008

Abstract

The visual information can be stored as either “active” representations in the active state or “activity-silent” representations in the passive state during the retention period in visual working memory (VWM). Catering to the dynamic nature of visual world, we explored how the temporally dynamic visual input was stored in VWM. In the current study, the memory arrays were presented sequentially, and the contralateral delay activity (CDA), an electrophysiological measure, was used to identify whether the memory representations were transferred into the passive state. Participants were instructed to encode two sequential arrays and retrieve them respectively, with two conditions of interval across the two arrays: 400 ms and 800 ms. These results provided strong evidence for the state-separated storage of two sequential arrays in different neural states if the interval between them was long enough, and the concurrent storage of them in the active state if the interval was relatively short. This conclusion was valid only when the participants encountered the task for the first time. Once participants have formed their mindset, they would apply the same storage mode to the subsequently extended or shortened interval condition.

Keywords: working memory; visual memory

Contributing organizations

Ministry reporting: Yes

Reporting Year: 2020

JUFO rating: 1