Protection from interference by a retro-cue in a visual working memory task

Protección contra la interferencia mediante una señal retrospectiva en una tarea de memoria de trabajo visual

John Solórzano-Restrepo , Kenneth J. Leising
Revista Latinoamericana de Psicología, (2024), 56, pp. 156-163.
Received 8 December 2023
Accepted 14 June 2024

https://doi.org/10.14349/rlp.2024.v56.16

Resumen

Introducción: La memoria de trabajo para las propiedades (p. ej., color) de un objeto visto recientemente se mejora mediante la presentación repetida de una señal (p. ej., una flecha) para recordar esa propiedad antes (preseñal) o después (retroseñal) del objeto. Si bien una señal adicional puede mejorar la memoria, la interferencia selectiva de la memoria puede ocurrir cuando un estímulo adicional compite por el procesamiento de la memoria de trabajo de una propiedad (p. ej., color) de un objeto más que de otra (p. ej., ubicación del objeto). Este experimento investigó si agregar una señal, previamente entrenada como señal previa, después del objetivo pero antes de un estímulo distractor mejoraría o interferiría con la memoria del objetivo en una tarea de detección de cambios visuoespaciales. Método: Los ensayos de prueba siguieron la estructura: fondo coloreado (CB1), estímulo objetivo, fondo coloreado (CB2), distractor y estímulo de prueba. A un grupo de adultos jóvenes (n = 22) se les indicó que el color de CB1 indicaría si debían responder “igual” o “diferente” según la coincidencia de la identidad (p. ej., verde) o la ubicación (p. ej., amarillo) del estímulo de prueba en comparación con el estímulo objetivo. Durante la prueba, la propiedad señalada por el color de CB2 podría ser la misma que la de CB1, neutral o incongruente. Los ensayos de control incluyeron un color novedoso (p. ej., azul) en CB1 y CB2. Resultados: Un análisis de d’ reveló un rendimiento significativamente mejor durante las pruebas con CB que indicaban la necesidad de recordar la misma propiedad antes que el objetivo y el distractor. Conclusiones: Los resultados apoyan la hipótesis de protección contra interferencia mediante una retroseñal.

Palabras clave:
Efecto retroclaves, priming, memoria de trabajo visual, memoria de trabajo, interferencia selectiva.

Abstract

Introduction: Working memory for one property (e.g., colour) of a recently viewed object is enhanced by repeated presentation of a cue (e.g., an arrow) to remember that property before (pre-cueing) or after (retro-cueing) viewing the object. While an added cue can enhance memory, selective interference of memory can occur when an added stimulus competes for working memory processing of one property (e.g., colour) of an object more than another (e.g., location of the object). The current experiment investigated whether adding a cue, trained as a pre-cue, after the target but before a distractor stimulus will improve or interfere with memory of the target in a visuo-spatial change detection task. Method: Test trials followed the structure: coloured background (CB1), target stimulus, coloured background (CB2), distractor, and probe stimulus. Young adults (n = 22) were instructed that the colour of CB1 would signal whether to respond “same” or “different” based on the match of the identity (e.g., green) or the location (e.g., yellow) of the probe stimulus to the target stimulus. During the test, the property signalled by the colour of CB2 could be either the same as CB1, neutral, or incongruent. Control trials included the same novel colour (e.g., blue) as CB1 and CB2. Results: An analysis of d’ revealed significantly better performance during trials with CBs that signalled the need to remember the same property before the target and distractor. Conclusions: Results support the hypothesis of protection from interference by a retro-cue.

Keywords:
Retro-cueing effect, priming, visual working memory, working memory, selective interference.

Artículo Completo
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