arrow
Return

A visual short-term memory advantage for faces

delete2007-08-01
delete156
delete
OA
AI
K
Kim M. Curby *
L
L. Gauthier
DOI:10.3758/BF03196811delete
deleteOriginal
deleteShare
deleteSave
View PDF
Abstract

Abstract

En 中文
What determines how much can be stored in visual short-term memory (VSTM)? Studies of VSTM have focused largely on stimulus-based properties such as the number or complexity of the items stored. Recent work also suggests that capacity is severely reduced for items within the same category. However, the importance for VSTM capacity of more qualitative differences in processing for different categories has not been investigated. For example, faces are processed more holistically than other objects. In Experiments I and 2, we show that the processing of faces, objects that are crucial socially and for which we possess considerable expertise, overcomes these limitations. More faces can be stored in VSTM than objects from other complex nonface categories. As in prior studies, at short encoding durations we found that capacity for faces was less than that for other categories. However, at longer encoding durations, capacity for faces exceeded that for nonface objects, and this advantage was specific to upright faces. Because inversion reduces holistic processing, the interaction of orientation with VSTM capacity-which occurred for faces but not objects in Experiment 3-suggests that it is holistic processing that confers an advantage for face VSTM when sufficient encoding time is allowed.
Keywords:
WORKING-MEMORY
FEATURES
OBJECTS
CONSOLIDATION
RECOGNITION
INFORMATION
COMPLEXITY
CAPACITY
STORAGE
NUMBER
AI Summary

AI Summary

Key information extracted from the uploaded paper, including a brief overview, abstract, background, key highlights, visual analysis, and future outlook.

Journal

P
Psychonomic Bulletin and Review
IF:
3
Papers:
4.5K
Citations:
1.5W

Organization

No organization information available