Selective interference with image retention and generation: Evidence for the workspace model

Abstract

We address three types of model of the relationship between working memory (WM) and long-term memory (LTM): (a) the gateway model, in which WM acts as a gateway between perceptual input and LTM; (b) the unitary model, in which WM is seen as the currently activated areas of LTM; and (c) the workspace model, in which perceptual input activates LTM, and WM acts as a separate workspace for processing and temporary retention of these activated traces. Predictions of these models were tested, focusing on visuospatial working memory and using dual-task methodology to combine two main tasks (visual short-term retention and image generation) with two interference tasks (irrelevant pictures and spatial tapping). The pictures selectively disrupted performance on the generation task, whereas the tapping selectively interfered with the retention task. Results are consistent with the predictions of the workspace model.

Keywords:

• Working memory
• Visual imagery
• Visual short-term memory
• Mental workspace

Acknowledgments

This work was completed in partial fulfilment for the requirements of a PhD thesis at the University of Edinburgh funded by that University. Part of the work was also funded by Grant CZB/4/346 awarded to Della Sala and Logie from the Chief Scientist Office of the Scottish Government. Marian van der Meulen is now at the Department of Clinical Neurosciences, University Hospital Geneva.

Notes

¹ A pilot experiment using these generation and retention tasks showed no effects of DVN on either task (Van der Meulen, 2008). Others have also failed to replicate the effects of DVN on imagery tasks (e.g., Pearson, Logie, & Gilhooly, 1999; Zimmer & Speiser, 2002). A detailed discussion of why this might be is beyond the scope of this paper but is discussed in Logie and van der Meulen (2008).