Does visuo-spatial working memory generally contribute to immediate serial letter recall?

Abstract

This work contributes to the understanding of the visual similarity effect in verbal working memory, a finding that suggests that the visuo-spatial sketch pad-the system in Baddeley's working memory model specialised in retaining nonverbal visual information-might be involved in the retention of visually presented verbal materials. Crucially this effect is implicitly interpreted by the most influential theory of multimedia learning as evidence for an obligatory involvement of the visuo-spatial sketch pad. We claim that it is only involved when the functioning of the working memory component normally used for processing verbal material is impaired. In this article we review the studies that give rise to the idea of obligatory involvement of the visuo-spatial sketch pad and suggest that some findings can be understood with reference to orthographic rather than visual similarity. We then test an alternative explanation of the finding that is most apt to serve as evidence for obligatory involvement of the visuo-spatial sketch pad. We conclude that, in healthy adults and under normal learning conditions, the visual similarity effect can be explained within the framework of verbal working memory proposed by Baddeley (e.g., 1986, 2000) without additional premises regarding the visuo-spatial sketch.

Recalling visual serial order for verbal sequences

“…We explored across three experiments whether the characteristic saw-tooth data pattern for alternating lists might also be present in recall of items that alternate visually similar and visually distinct verbal items that are presented visually. Note that neither in our previous work (Logie et al, 2000 ; Saito et al, 2008 ) nor here do we suggest that the use of visual codes is obligatory for healthy adults (e.g., Fürstenberg, Rummer & Schweppe, 2013 ). Rather we are suggesting that visual codes are available and may be used strategically along with other information about the stimulus set to support retention and retrieval of serial order (Logie et al, 1996 ).…”

Phonological similarity and orthographic similarity affect probed serial recall of Chinese characters

“…However, in addition to having visually similar upper-and lowercase variants, the letter name of W is also phonologically longer than those of letters with distinct upper-and lowercase variants, which might have resulted in worse memory performance especially under the condition without articulatory suppression. After removing this potential confound, Fürstenberg, Rummer, and Schweppe (2013) recently demonstrated that the effect of visual similarity among to-be-remembered letters was only found under articulatory suppression, but was not detected without articulatory suppression. On the basis of these results, it was argued that visually presented verbal materials are mainly retained by the linguistic-specific (i.e., phonological) mechanism, whereas the involvement of the visuo-spatial sketchpad is not necessary.…”

The incidence of visual-motor processes in the acquisition of orthographic representations in Spanish-speaking schoolchildren (La incidencia de los procesos perceptivo-motrices en la adquisición de las representaciones ortográficas en escolares hispanoparlante)

“…Regarding IQ, given the criteria specified for the composition of the study sample, it was expected that no differences were to be found. The visual-spatial agenda would have a secondary participation compared to that of the phonological loop in orthographic processing as indicated in studies by (Fürstenberg, Rummer, & Schweppe, 2013). That no differences were found in the rapid naming measures could be due to the relative influence of these tests on the spelling performance at these levels of schooling and in students who do not have difficulties in reading.…”

“…En cuanto al cociente intelectual es esperable, dados los criterios especificados para la conformación de la muestra de estudio, que no se encontraran diferencias. La agenda viso-espacial, tendría una participación secundaria comparada a la del bucle fonológico en el procesamiento ortográfico tal con se señala en los estudios de (Fürstenberg, Rummer, & Schweppe, 2013). Que no se encontraran diferencias en las medidas de velocidad de nominación podría deberse a la influencia relativa en el rendimiento ortográfico de estas pruebas en estos niveles de la escolaridad y en alumnos que no presentan dificultades en lectura.…”