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| Research article summary (published 30 Jul 2003): |
The role of the executive system in visuo-spatial memory functioning.
Full Abstract
Participants were presented with a spatial sequence in which between 4 and 10 cells were highlighted. On each trial list length was unknown to the participant who was required to serially recall the last four cells. Processing of longer lists is assumed to call upon the executive system, which is thought to be involved in updating the contents of the short-term visuo-spatial store. Study 1 revealed that loading the executive system with concurrent random letter generation impaired performance on the spatial task especially recall of the early serial positions. However, contrary to expectation the degree of impairment was no greater on the longer lists, where it had been assumed that updating would be occurring. Study 2 confirmed this finding and demonstrated that relative to sequences of known length, under conditions of uncertainty when the list length was unknown, spatial recall was impaired even on short sequences. The present results support the growing consensus, which is suggestive of closer links between visuo-spatial and executive processes. However, it remains unclear whether or not updating is actually occurring on the longer sequences, and if it is, what specific executive processes are involved.
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Author information
Author/s: Fisk, John E (JE); Sharp, Charles A (CA);
Affiliation: School of Psychology, Liverpool John Moores University, L3 2ET Liverpool, UK. j.e.fisk@livjm.ac.uk
Journal and publication information
Publication Type: Journal Article
Journal: Brain and cognition (Brain Cogn), published in United States. (Language: eng)
Reference: 2003-Aug; vol 52 (issue 3) : pp 364-81
Dates: Created 2003/08/08; Completed 2003/10/21; Revised 2004/11/17;
PMID: 12907181, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)
Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.
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