Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Behavioural evidence for separating components within visuo-spatial working memory

  • Research Report
  • Published:
Cognitive Processing Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Several different sources of evidence support the idea that visuo-spatial working memory can be segregated into separate cognitive subsystems. However, the nature of these systems remains unclear. Recently we reported data from neurological patients suggesting that information about visual appearance is retained in a different subsystem from information about spatial location. In this paper we report latency data from neurologically intact participants showing an experimental double dissociation between memory for appearance and memory for location. This was achieved by use of a selective dual task interference technique. This pattern provides evidence supporting the segregation of visuo-spatial memory between two systems, one of which supports memory for stimulus appearance and the other which supports memory for spatial location.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2

Notes

  1. In response to a request from one anonymous reviewer, we repeated the analysis with age as a covariate. This reduced the statistical power given the size of individual participant groups. Nevertheless, the interaction between memory task and interference type remained significant (F(2,65) = 5.15, P = 0.008, MSE = 2206.40, partial η2 = 0.14).

References

  • Andrade J, Kemps E, Werniers Y, May J, Szmalec A (2002) Insensitivity of visual short-term memory to irrelevant visual information. Q J Exp Psychol A 55:753–774 doi:10.1080/02724980143000541

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Avons SE, Sestieri C (2005) Dynamic visual noise: No interference with visual short-term memory or the construction of visual images. Eur J Cogn Psychol 17:405–424. doi:10.1080/09541440440000104

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Baker SC, Frith CD Frackowiak RS, Dolan RJ (1996) Active representation of shape and spatial location in man. Cereb Cortex 6:612–619

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Baddeley AD, Andrade J (2000) Working memory and the vividness of imagery. J Exp Psychol Gen 129:126–145. doi:10.1037/0096-3445.129.1.126

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Courtney SM, Petit L, Maisog JM, Ungerleider LG, Haxby JV (1998) An Area Specialized for spatial working memory in human frontal cortex. Science 279:1347–1351. doi:10.1126/science.279.5355.1347

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Courtney SM, Ungerleider LG, Keil K, Haxby JV (1996) Object and spatial visual working memory activate separate neural systems in human cortex. Cereb Cortex 6:39–49

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Darling S, Della Sala S, Logie RH, Cantagallo A (2006) Neuropsychological evidence for separating components of visuo–spatial working memory. J Neurol 253:176–180. doi:10.1007/s00415-005-0944-3

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Della Sala S, Gray C, Baddeley AD, Allamano N, Wilson L (1999) Pattern span: a tool for unwelding visuo-spatial memory. Neuropsychologia 37:1189–1199. doi:10.1016/S0028-3932(98)00159-6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • D’Esposito M, Aguirre GK, Zarahn E, Ballard D, Shin RK, Lease J (1998) Functional MRI studies of spatial and nonspatial working memory. Cogn Brain Res 7:1–13. doi:10.1016/S0926-6410(98)00004-4

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Goldman-Rakic PS (1995) Architecture of the prefrontal cortex and the Central Executive. In: Grafman J, Holyoak KJ, Boller F (eds) Annals of the New York academy of sciences. Structure and functions of the human prefrontal cortex, vol 769. New York Academy of Sciences, New York, pp 71–4

  • Hecker R, Mapperson B (1997) Dissociation of visual and spatial processing in working memory. Neuropsychologia 35:599–603. doi:10.1016/S0028-3932(96)00106-6

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ishai A, Ungerleider LG, Haxby JV (2000) Distributed neural systems for the generation of visual images. Neuron 28:979–990

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klauer KC, Zhao Z (2004) Double dissociations in visual and spatial short-term memory. J Exp Psychol Gen 13:355–381. doi:10.1037/0096-3445.133.3.355

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Logie RH (2003) Spatial and visual working memory: a mental workspace. In: Irwin DE, Ross BH (eds) The psychology of learning and motivation. Cognitive vision, vol 42. Academic, New York, pp 37–8

  • Logie RH, D’Esposito M (2007) Working memory in the brain. Cortex 43:1–4

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Logie RH, Marchetti C (1991) Visuo-spatial working memory: visual spatial or central executive? In: Logie RH, Denis M (eds) Mental images in human cognition. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 105–115

    Chapter  Google Scholar 

  • Logie RH, Pearson DG (1997) The inner eye and the inner scribe of visuo-spatial working memory: Evidence from developmental fractionation. Eur J Cogn Psychol 9:241–257

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McConnell J, Quinn JG (2003) Cognitive mechanisms of visual memories and visual images. Imagination Cognition and Personality 23:201–07. doi:10.2190/NX2P-NG6L-XY15-P78H

  • Munk MHJ, Linden DEJ, Muckli L, Lanfermann H, Zanella FE, Singer W, Goebel R (2002) Distributed cortical systems in visual short-term memory revealed by event-related functional magnetic resonance imaging. Cereb Cortex 12:866–876

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pearson DG, Logie RH, Gilhooly K (1999) Verbal representations and spatial manipulation during mental synthesis. Eur J Cogn Psychol 11:295–314

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Ó’Scalaidhe SP, Wilson FAW, Goldman-Rakic PS (1997) Areal segregation of face-processing neurons in prefrontal cortex. Science 278:1135–1138. doi:10.1126/science.278.5340.1135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pickering SJ, Gathercole SE, Hall M, Lloyd SA (2001) Development of memory for pattern and path: Further evidence for the fractionation of visuo-spatial memory. Q J Exp Psychol A 54:397–420. doi:10.1080/02724980042000174

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Quinn JG, McConnell J (1996) Irrelevant pictures in visual working memory. Q J Exp Psychol A 49:200–215

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sala JB, Courtney SM (2007) Binding of what and where during working memory maintenance. Cortex 43:5–21

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smith EE, Jonides J, Koeppe RA, Awh E, Schumacher EH, Minoshima S (1995) Spatial versus object working memory—PET investigations. J Cogn Neurosci 7:337–356

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Smyth MM, Pendleton LR (1989) Working memory for movements. Q J Exp Psychol A 41:235–250

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Smyth MM, Scholey KA (1994) Interference in Immediate Spatial Memory. Mem Cogn 22:1–13

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Stern CE, Owen AM, Tracey I, Look RB, Rosen BR, Petrides M (2000) Activity in ventrolateral and mid-dorsolateral prefrontal cortex during nonspatial visual working memory processing: Evidence from functional magnetic resonance imaging. Neuroimage 11:392–399. doi:10.1006/nimg.2000.0569

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tresch MC, Sinnamon HM, Seamon JG (1993) Double dissociation of spatial and object visual memory: evidence from selective interference in intact human subjects. Neuropsychologia 31:211–219

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Xu Y, Chun MM (2006) Dissociable neural mechanisms supporting visual short-term memory for objects. Nature 440:91–95

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

The work reported in this manuscript has been partly funded by grant no. CZB/4/346 awarded by the Chief Scientist Office (CSO) to S. Della Sala and R. Logie, and on which Stephen Darling is the named Research Fellow.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Human Cognitive Neuroscience, Psychology, University of Edinburgh, 7 George Square, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK

    Stephen Darling, Sergio Della Sala & Robert H. Logie

Authors
  1. Stephen Darling
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sergio Della Sala
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Robert H. Logie
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Stephen Darling.

Additional information

Declaration: The experiment described in this paper complies with the current law in Scotland, where the research was carried out.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Darling, S., Della Sala, S. & Logie, R.H. Behavioural evidence for separating components within visuo-spatial working memory. Cogn Process 8, 175–181 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-007-0171-1

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10339-007-0171-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation