Abstract

N. Noori, L. Itti, Symbolic Simulation: a neural account for algorithmic and controlled information processing in human brain, In: Proc. 44th Annual Meeting of the Society for Mathematical Psychology (MathPsych 2011), Jul 2011. (Cited by 5)

Abstract: Recent findings of neuroimaging and patient studies suggest that brain regions with visual-spatial characteristics are involved in a wide range of memory tasks including those with no immediate visual-spatial features. Yet, exactly how these regions contribute to such tasks remains an open question. To address this question here we propose a framework for manipulation of items in memory which relies on registering memory items in a spatially-organized short-term memory store. Switching executive attention to memory items that need processing may then be embodied through shifting spatial attention towards those registry locations. This assumption suggests that a secondary executive mem- ory task may interfere with visuospatial short- term memory selectively and independent of the load on executive attention. Experiments with human subjects verified these predictions. Our findings suggest that visuospatial short- term memory serves domain independent processes for memory manipulation in addition to domain specific functions that require temporary maintaining of spatial information.

Themes: Human Eye-Tracking Research, Human Psychophysics