An Emergent Hemifield Asymmetry for Visual Short-Term Memory Capacity

Gamble, Christine; Somers, David C.

doi:10.1167/12.9.347

Cited by 3 publications

(8 citation statements)

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“…Planned comparisons indicated that this interaction was driven by a change in performance at set size K+1 in the left- and right-hemifields: performance was better in the left hemifield in the single-feature condition [ t (19)=3.08, p < 0.01], consistent with previous reports of working memory benefits in the left, as compared to the right, visual hemifield (Gamble and Somers, 2012). In the two- feature condition, however, significantly better performance was seen in the right-hemifield [ t (19)=2.38, p <0.05] (Figure 2).…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 82%

“…In a set of three experiments, we show an advantage for items held in VSTM in the left visual field when encoding and storing a single-feature. These results are consistent with a right hemisphere bias resulting in better performance for items in the left visual field during both visual attention (Bowers and Heilman, 1980; Thiebaut de Schotten et al, 2011) and working memory (Gamble and Somers, 2012). However, when memory items had more than one feature, performance was better in the right-hemifield.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

“…In the first experiment, results showed set-size dependent memory enhancement for single-feature objects in the left hemifield, consistent with a right hemisphere benefit for VSTM (Gamble and Somers, 2012). In addition, increasing the number of object features caused a change in the behavioral bias, with a benefit for items presented in the right visual hemifield.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 52%

“…Right hemisphere dominance theories have been associated with biases toward the left visual field, a phenomenon known as pseudoneglect (Bowers and Heilman, 1980). Consistent with right hemisphere dominance for visual attention, a recent VSTM study documented a similar behavioral benefit in the left-hemifield during an orientation change detection task (Gamble and Somers, 2012). …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 74%

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Hemifield asymmetries differentiate VSTM for single- and multiple-feature objects

Sheremata

Shomstein

2014

Atten Percept Psychophys

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Visual short-term memory (VSTM) is a capacity-limited system for maintaining visual information across brief durations. Limits in the amount of information held in memory reflect processing constraints in the intraparietal sulcus (IPS), a region of the fronto-parietal network also involved in visual attention. During VSTM and visual attention, areas of IPS demonstrate hemispheric asymmetries. While the left hemisphere represents information in only the right-hemifield, the right hemisphere represents information across the visual field. In visual attention, hemispheric asymmetries are associated with differences in behavioral performance across the visual field. In order to assess the degree of hemifield asymmetries in VSTM, we measured memory performance across the visual field for both single- and two- feature objects. Consistent with theories of right hemisphere dominance, there was a memory benefit for single-feature items in the left visual hemifield. However, when the number of features increased, the behavioral bias reversed, demonstrating a benefit for remembering two-feature objects in the right-hemifield. On an individual basis, the cost of remembering an additional feature in the hemifields was correlated, suggesting that the shift in hemifield biases reflected a redistribution of resources across the visual field. Furthermore, we demonstrate that these results cannot be explained by differences in perceptual or decision making load. Our results are consistent with a flexible resource model of VSTM in which attention and/or working memory demands result in representation of items in the right hemifield by both the left and right hemispheres.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 82%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 83%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 52%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 74%

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Hemifield asymmetries differentiate VSTM for single- and multiple-feature objects

Sheremata

Shomstein

2014

Atten Percept Psychophys

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“…Namely, it was demonstrated that there is an advantage for items held in VSTM in the left visual field when encoding and storing a single feature. These results are consistent with a right-hemisphere bias observed in the neuroimaging literature, resulting in better performance for items in the left visual field during both visual attention (Bowers & Heilman, 1980;Thiebaut de Schotten et al, 2011) and working memory (Gamble & Somers, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionsupporting

confidence: 91%

Task set induces dynamic reallocation of resources in visual short-term memory

Sheremata

Shomstein

2017

Psychon Bull Rev

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Successful interaction with the environment requires the ability to flexibly allocate resources to different locations in the visual field. Recent evidence suggests that visual short-term memory (VSTM) resources are distributed asymmetrically across the visual field based upon task demands. Here, we propose that context, rather than the stimulus itself, determines asymmetrical distribution of VSTM resources. To test whether context modulates the reallocation of resources to the right visual field, task set, defined by memory-load, was manipulated to influence visual short-term memory performance. Performance was measured for single-feature objects embedded within predominantly single-or two-feature memory blocks. Therefore, context was varied to determine whether task set directly predicts changes in visual field biases. In accord with the dynamic reallocation of resources hypothesis, task set, rather than aspects of the physical stimulus, drove improvements in performance in the right-visual field. Our results show, for the first time, that preparation for upcoming memory demands directly determines how resources are allocated across the visual field.

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Absence of Lateral Navigational Bias in Young Children

2014

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Previous research has shown American adults exhibit a systematic navigational bias to favor moving to the right when locomoting around obstacles and other people. To further investigate how and when the right-side navigational bias develops, the authors tested pre-school and early elementary school aged American children. Children ran down a straight pathway with an object at the center of the end-line. Unlike replicated findings with adults, both pre-school and early elementary school aged children showed no tendency to favor either side of the object. These findings support that the rightward navigation bias found in adults is not present in children up to elementary school, and suggest that the onset of bias occurs during the age range of late elementary or secondary school.

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An Emergent Hemifield Asymmetry for Visual Short-Term Memory Capacity

Cited by 3 publications

References 0 publications

Hemifield asymmetries differentiate VSTM for single- and multiple-feature objects

Hemifield asymmetries differentiate VSTM for single- and multiple-feature objects

Task set induces dynamic reallocation of resources in visual short-term memory

Absence of Lateral Navigational Bias in Young Children

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