The impact of object working memory on timing

Nontemporal information processing involving short-term memory requirements disturbs time estimation. Previous studies mostly used letters or digits, which are maintained in working memory by phonological loops. Since verbal and nonverbal information are processed by separate working-memory subsyste...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of cognitive psychology (Hove, England) England), 2013-06, Vol.25 (4), p.390-399
Main Authors: Bi, Cuihua, Yuan, Xiangyong, Huang, Xiting
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Cognition. Intelligence
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Human
Interference
Learning. Memory
Memory
Object working memory
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Spatial perception. Time perception
Timing
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Summary:Nontemporal information processing involving short-term memory requirements disturbs time estimation. Previous studies mostly used letters or digits, which are maintained in working memory by phonological loops. Since verbal and nonverbal information are processed by separate working-memory subsystems, how do nonverbal, object-based memory tasks affect time estimation? We manipulated visual object memory load using the magic cube materials. Participants were divided into three groups, who completed a reaction-time task (control task), a memory-recognition task interposed by an attempt to produce a 2500-ms time interval (active processing), and a memory-recognition task following time interval production (passive retention). The produced time increased with increasing memory-object size under both the active processing and passive retention conditions; mean produced time interval did not significantly differ between the two experimental conditions. By comparing the reaction times and error rates of a relevant task, we excluded any speed-accuracy tradeoff during timing. This result suggests that when the working-memory information to be processed includes objects requiring attention for retention, the production of time intervals is also affected by memory item maintenance.
ISSN:2044-5911
2044-592X
DOI:10.1080/20445911.2013.777071