On-item fixations during serial encoding do not affect spatial working memory.

ABSTRACT: Ample evidence suggests that there is overlap between the eye-movement system and spatial working memory. Such overlapping structures or capacities may result in interference on the one hand and beneficial support on the other. We investigated eye-movement control during encoding of verbal or spatial information, keeping the display the same between tasks. Saccades to to-be-encoded items were scarce during spatial encoding in comparison with verbal encoding. However, despite replicating this difference across different tasks (serial, free recall) and presentation modalities (simultaneous, sequential presentation), we found no relation between item fixations and memory performance-that is, no costs or benefits. Inducing a change from covert to overt encoding did not affect spatial memory pe

SUBMITTER: Czoschke S 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6856038 | biostudies-literature | 2019 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature