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Spatial resolution in visual memory

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Abstract

Representations in visual short-term memory are considered to contain relatively elaborated information on object structure. Conversely, representations in earlier stages of the visual hierarchy are thought to be dominated by a sensory-based, feed-forward buildup of information. In four experiments, we compared the spatial resolution of different object properties between two points in time along the processing hierarchy in visual short-term memory. Subjects were asked either to estimate the distance between objects or to estimate the size of one of the objects' features under two experimental conditions, of either a short or a long delay period between the presentation of the target stimulus and the probe. When different objects were referred to, similar spatial resolution was found for the two delay periods, suggesting that initial processing stages are sensitive to object-based properties. Conversely, superior resolution was found for the short, as compared with the long, delay when features were referred to. These findings suggest that initial representations in visual memory are hybrid in that they allow fine-grained resolution for object features alongside normal visual sensitivity to the segregation between objects. The findings are also discussed in reference to the distinction made in earlier studies between visual short-term memory and iconic memory.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Gal Nir for her help in running the experiments and Hilla Jacobson-Horowitz for her help and comments throughout this study.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, Beer-Sheva, 84105, Israel

    Asaf Ben-Shalom & Tzvi Ganel

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  1. Asaf Ben-Shalom
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  2. Tzvi Ganel
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Correspondence to Tzvi Ganel.

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Ben-Shalom, A., Ganel, T. Spatial resolution in visual memory. Psychon Bull Rev 22, 500–508 (2015). https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-014-0707-1

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