Organization of visuo-spatial serial memory: interaction of temporal order with spatial and temporal grouping

Abstract

This study investigates whether memory for sequences of spatial locations can be represented hierarchically, that is, as successive groups containing the order of constituent locations. Two grouping manipulations are used: Temporal grouping, based on the verbal serial memory literature, and spatial grouping, based on recent empirical work on visuo-spatial serial memory. In Experiment 1, we examine the relationship between spatial grouping and temporal order and showed that recall performance increases when both temporal and spatial organization correlate, but decreases when they clash. Experiments 2 and 3 show that the latter result is confounded by differences in path length (length of spatial path defined by the locations) between conditions, and that no effect of the spatial organization is observed when path length is controlled for. In Experiment 4, an alternative method to spatial grouping, temporal grouping, is used to induce hierarchical organization. A recall advantage is found in the temporal grouping condition. The results suggest that hierarchical representations can be imposed on order information for visuo-spatial sequences, either when participants have pre-existing knowledge about the form of the path formed by the sequence or when temporal boundaries delimit chunks; that increased path length is the cause of the performance decrement observed when dots from separate spatial groups are presented successively; and that path length and more generally sequence characteristics should be taken into account in designing future research on visuo-spatial serial memory.

Grouping, semantic relation and imagery effects in individuals with Down syndrome

“…Participants may be internally representing temporal proximity as spatial proximity, (Boroditsky, 2000). This finding is consistent with those of Parmentier et al (2006) who also reported hierarchical organisation of visuospatial items as a result of temporal grouping at presentation.…”

“…The benefit of temporal grouping during verbal plus visual presentation experienced by those with DS may involve spatially differentiating the visual items when they are presented within a temporally grouped schedule, but not necessarily with the two items in the form of an interaction. Parmentier, et al (2006), explored the effect of temporal grouping upon typically developing adult participants' visuospatial serial recall performance, and found that temporally grouped presentation alone (Exp 4) was sufficient to result in memory recall benefits in the visual domain. Specifically, the migration of visuospatial items between groups at recall was decreased as a result of temporal grouping.…”

“…Specifically, the migration of visuospatial items between groups at recall was decreased as a result of temporal grouping. Parmentier et al, (2006) concluded, 'Temporal grouping can be used to induce a hierarchical organisation of the visuospatial sequences' (pp. 211-212).…”

An Isolation Effect in Serial Memory for Spatial Information

“…For example, similar serial position curves with recency and primacy effects are observed in serial recall of verbal and spatial sequences (Avons, 1998;Jones, Farrand, Stuart, & Morris, 1995). Other phenomena such as the disruptive effect of to-be-ignored stimuli including irrelevant sound stimuli (Jones et al, 1995) and suffixes (Parmentier, Tremblay, & Jones, 2004), the beneficial effect of temporal grouping (Parmentier, Andrés, Elford, & Jones, 2006), and Hebb list repetition (Couture & Tremblay, 2006;Turcotte, Gagnon, & Poirier, 2005) have been demonstrated in spatial as well as verbal serial recall. Such evidence of functional equivalence has led some investigators to posit a single mechanism for verbal and spatial memory (e.g., Jones et al, 1995) and others to propose distinct mechanisms but those that follow similar general principles (Logie, 1995).…”

Componentes funcionais da memória visuoespacial

“…Nos estudos de Kemps (2001) a capacidade de recordação de sequências espaciais foi determinada pela redundância de cada sequência. A proximidade temporal ou espacial das posições facilita a recordação de sequências (Farrand et al, 2001;Parmentier et al, 2006). Rossi-Arnaud et al (2006) sugerem que o executivo central pode estar envolvido tanto na codificação como no armazenamento das sequências espaciais, independentemente de essas sequências serem redundantes ou não.…”