Visual distraction and visuo‐spatial memory: A sandwich effect

Abstract

The functional characteristics of visuo‐spatial serial memory and its sensitivity to irrelevant visual information are examined in the present study, through the investigation of the sandwich effect (e.g., Hitch, 1975). The memory task was one of serial recall for the position of a sequence of seven spatially and temporally separated dots. The presence of irrelevant dots interpolated with to‐be‐remembered dots affected performance over most serial positions (Experiment 1) but that effect was significantly reduced when the interpolated dots were distinct from the to‐be‐remembered dots by colour and shape (Experiment 2). Parallels are made between verbal and spatial serial memory, and the reduction of the sandwich effect is discussed in terms of the contribution of perceptual organisation and attentional factors in short‐term memory.

Notes

Correspondence should be addressed to Sébastien Temblay, PhD, École de psychologie, Université Laval, Québec G1K 7P4, Canada. Email: [email protected]

Thanks are due to Mathieu Couture for running the experiments. We would also like to thank Caroline Cellard for critical reading of an earlier draft. This work wa supported in the form of a project grant to Sébastien Tremblay from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (CG073877).

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Sébastien Tremblay

Correspondence should be addressed to Sébastien Temblay, PhD, École de psychologie, Université Laval, Québec G1K 7P4, Canada. Email: [email protected] Thanks are due to Mathieu Couture for running the experiments. We would also like to thank Caroline Cellard for critical reading of an earlier draft. This work wa supported in the form of a project grant to Sébastien Tremblay from the Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (CG073877).