Memory span for Arabic numerals and digit words: Evidence for a limited-capacity, visuo-spatial storage system

被引:15
作者
Chincotta, D
Underwood, G
Abd Ghani, K
Papadopoulou, E
Wresinski, M
机构
[1] Univ Bristol, Dept Expt Psychol, Ctr Study Memory & Learning, Bristol BS8 1TN, Avon, England
[2] Univ Nottingham, Nottingham NG7 2RD, England
来源
QUARTERLY JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY SECTION A-HUMAN EXPERIMENTAL PSYCHOLOGY | 1999年 / 52卷 / 02期
关键词
D O I
10.1080/027249899391098
中图分类号
B84 [心理学];
学科分类号
04 ; 0402 ;
摘要
Six experiments examined the determinants of the numeral advantage effect: the finding that memory span for Arabic numerals (1, 2, 3, etc.) is greater than for digit words tone, two, three, etc.). The speed of item identification for numeral and digit words was unrelated to memory span for the same items and a larger memory span for numerals persisted under concurrent random generation (Experiment 1). The numeral advantage, however, was abolished when the items were presented in random locations within an invisible 3 x 3 grid (Experiment 2) and in locations on a horizontal plane that ran contrary to the natural direction of reading (Experiment 3). When the items were presented in the same location, a disruption of the spatial component of visuo-spatial working memory eliminated the numeral advantage (Experiment 4), whereas interference with the visual component of the system did not (Experiment 5). When the items were spatially distributed in a 3 x 3 matrix, however, neither visual nor spatial interference abolished the effect (Experiment 6). Taken together, these findings suggest that the numeral advantage effect is mediated by discrete components in visuo-spatial working memory dedicated to the temporary storage and renewal of visual codes and questions the assumption that the underlying mechanisms in immediate, visual serial recall are equivalent between stimulus categories.
引用
收藏
页码:325 / 351
页数:27
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