@article{bella17topiCS,
title = {Visual Working Memory Resources Are Best Characterized as Dynamic, Quantifiable Mnemonic Traces},
author = {Veksler, Bella Z. and Boyd, Rachel and Myers, Christopher W. and Gunzelmann, Glenn and Neth, Hansjörg and Gray, Wayne D.},
doi = {10.1111/tops.12248},
year = {2017},
date = {2017-01-15},
journal = {Topics in Cognitive Science},
volume = {9},
number = {1},
pages = {1-19},
abstract = {Visual working memory (VWM) is a construct hypothesized to store a small amount of accurate perceptual information that can be brought to bear on a task. Much research concerns the construct's capacity and the precision of the information stored. Two prominent theories of VWM representation have emerged: slot-based and continuous-resource mechanisms. Prior modeling work suggests that a continuous resource that varies over trials with variable capacity and a potential to make localization errors best accounts for the empirical data. Questions remain regarding the variability in VWM capacity and precision. Using a novel eye-tracking paradigm, we demonstrate that VWM facilitates search and exhibits effects of fixation frequency and recency, particularly for prior targets. Whereas slot-based memory models cannot account for the human data, a novel continuous-resource model does capture the behavioral and eye tracking data, and identifies the relevant resource as item activation.},
keywords = {ACT-R, Eye tracking, Resource allocation, visual search, Visual working memory},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}
Visual working memory (VWM) is a construct hypothesized to store a small amount of accurate perceptual information that can be brought to bear on a task. Much research concerns the construct's capacity and the precision of the information stored. Two prominent theories of VWM representation have emerged: slot-based and continuous-resource mechanisms. Prior modeling work suggests that a continuous resource that varies over trials with variable capacity and a potential to make localization errors best accounts for the empirical data. Questions remain regarding the variability in VWM capacity and precision. Using a novel eye-tracking paradigm, we demonstrate that VWM facilitates search and exhibits effects of fixation frequency and recency, particularly for prior targets. Whereas slot-based memory models cannot account for the human data, a novel continuous-resource model does capture the behavioral and eye tracking data, and identifies the relevant resource as item activation.
