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Oculomotor preparation as a rehearsal mechanism in spatial working memory

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posted on 2023-07-26, 13:48 authored by David G. Pearson, Keira Ball, Daniel T. Smith
There is little consensus regarding the specific processes responsible for encoding, maintenance, and retrieval of information in visuo-spatial working memory (VSWM). One influential theory is that VSWM may involve activation of the eye-movement (oculomotor) system. In this study we experimentally prevented healthy participants from planning or executing saccadic eye-movements during the encoding, maintenance, and retrieval stages of visual and spatial working memory tasks. Participants experienced a significant reduction in spatial memory span only when oculomotor preparation was prevented during encoding or maintenance. In contrast there was no reduction when oculomotor preparation was prevented only during retrieval. These results show that (a) involvement of the oculomotor system is necessary for optimal maintenance of directly-indicated locations in spatial working memory and (b) oculomotor preparation is not necessary during retrieval from spatial working memory. We propose that this study is the first to unambiguously demonstrate that the oculomotor system contributes to the maintenance of spatial locations in working memory independently from the involvement of covert attention.

History

Refereed

  • Yes

Volume

132

Issue number

3

Page range

416-428

Publication title

Cognition

ISSN

1873-7838

Publisher

Elsevier

File version

  • Published version

Language

  • eng

Legacy posted date

2016-06-13

Legacy creation date

2019-08-16

Legacy Faculty/School/Department

ARCHIVED Faculty of Science & Technology (until September 2018)

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