The contribution of eye movements to memory retrieval depends on the visual input

Abstract

When attempting to recall previously seen visual information, people often move their eyes to the same locations where they initially viewed it. These eye-movements are thought to serve a role in enhancing memory retrieval, although the exact mechanism underlying this effect is yet unknown. To investigate this link between eye-movements and memory, we conducted an experiment with 80 adult participants. Participants were asked to perform a memory retrieval task, while viewing either the same visual context as during encoding or an altered one. Results showed that the benefit of eye movements to memory retrieval was dependent on the visual input. This suggests that the contribution of eye-movements to memory may not be from the motor behavior itself, but from its visual consequences. Our findings thus challenge the hypothesis that eye movements act as a motor retrieval cue and support the view that their visual consequences act as a sensory one.

It’s all about location: reliance on spatial rather than visual context when trying to remember

“…Some previous studies, including our own (Taub et al, 2022;Taub & Yuval-Greenberg, 2023), have shown that the tendency to look at similar locations during encoding and retrieval is beneficial for memory performance (Bochynska & Laeng, 2015;Johansson & Johansson, 2014;Spivey, 2008). However, in the present study, we have not found an enhancement effect.…”

“…In a previous study, we showed that the benefit of eye movements to memory retrieval is dependent on the visual input (Taub & Yuval-Greenberg, 2023). We found that when most of the visual scenery presented during encoding was blocked from view during retrieval this eliminates the benefit of eye movements to memory.…”

The interpretation attributed to observed gaze shifts affects their social-cueing effect

“…Despite the common correlation between eye movements and attention shifts, there are instances where gaze may be directed to non-informative or irrelevant locations. For example, the 'looking at nothing' effect illustrates how participants who are recalling memorized items, shift their gaze to locations where these items were previously located, even if they are no longer there (Brandt & Stark, 1997;Johansson & Johansson, 2014;Taub & Yuval-Greenberg, 2023). Moreover, during cognitively demanding tasks, like formulating a response to a question, individuals tend to avert their gaze away from the conversational partner (Glenberg, Schroeder & Robertson, 1998;Doherty-Sneddon, 2002).…”