"The influence of similarity on visual working memory representations" by Po-Han Lin & Steven J. Luck

Summary

This research paper investigates the impact of similarity on visual working memory, challenging the established understanding that similarity impairs memory performance, as seen in verbal memory tasks. The authors conducted experiments using a colour change detection task, finding that increased similarity among colours actually improved performance, contrary to expectations. This effect persisted even when colours were presented sequentially and only the first colour was tested, suggesting that similarity benefits memory maintenance rather than initial encoding. The study concludes that visual working memory representations, unlike verbal ones, benefit from similarity, possibly due to increased stability or precision of representations during memory maintenance, thus requiring a revision of existing models of visual working memory.

"The Different Role of Working Memory in Open-Ended Versus Closed-Ended Creative Problem Solving: A Dual-Process Theory" by Wei-Lun Lin & Yunn-Wen Lien

Summary

This research article investigates the distinct roles of working memory in two types of creative problem-solving: open-ended (divergent thinking) and closed-ended (insight problem-solving). The authors hypothesise, based on dual-process theory, that divergent thinking relies more on effortless, associative System 1 processing, while insight problem-solving necessitates resource-demanding, rule-based System 2 processing alongside System 1. Two experiments, utilising both dual-task and individual differences approaches, support this hypothesis by demonstrating that working memory load enhances divergent thinking but hinders insight problem-solving performance. The study aims to reconcile inconsistencies in the creativity literature by highlighting the differing cognitive processes involved in these distinct creative tasks, offering a nuanced understanding of creativity's cognitive underpinnings.

"A neural system for human visual working memory" by LESLIE G. UNGERLEIDER, SUSAN M. COURTNEY, AND JAMES V. HAXBY

Summary

This 1998 paper by Ungerleider, Courtney, and Haxby reviews neuroimaging research on visual working memory, comparing findings in monkeys and humans. It establishes that visual processing in both species involves distinct ventral (object) and dorsal (spatial) streams extending from the visual cortex into the prefrontal cortex, maintaining a domain specificity in working memory. However, crucial differences are highlighted, notably the superior and posterior displacement of spatial processing areas in the human prefrontal cortex, potentially linked to the evolution of language and uniquely human cognitive functions. The authors use data from PET and fMRI studies to support the argument that human prefrontal cortex, like that of monkeys, exhibits domain specificity in visual working memory, although some lateralization differences are also observed. Ultimately, the paper aims to understand the neural mechanisms underpinning visual working memory, illustrating the conserved yet divergent aspects of its organisation across primate species.

"Visual working memory performance in aphantasia" by Christianne Jacobs, Dietrich S. Schwarzkopf, and Juha Silvanto

Summary

This research paper investigates the cognitive implications of aphantasia, the inability to form mental images. The study focuses on a single individual with congenital aphantasia, comparing their visual working memory performance to a control group. Key findings reveal surprisingly intact performance on tasks involving mental imagery, though with reduced metacognitive awareness. However, the aphantasic individual showed significantly impaired performance on high-precision visual working memory trials, suggesting a functional role for mental imagery in this specific cognitive domain. The study also explores the relationship between visual working memory and mental imagery, proposing that while imagery may not be essential for all working memory tasks, it plays a crucial role in high-precision tasks and metacognitive accuracy.

"Variability in the quality of visual working memory" by Daryl Fougnie, Jordan W. Suchow & George A. Alvarez

Summary

This research paper challenges established cognitive models of visual working memory by demonstrating significant variability in the quality of individual memory representations. The authors, using a colour-dot recall task and sophisticated statistical modelling (including variable-precision models superior to fixed-precision models using AIC), show that this variability cannot be explained by fluctuations in attention or uneven resource allocation. Instead, they propose a new framework where memory degradation is a stochastic process, acting independently on each memory item, thus impacting the precision of recall. This finding suggests that working memory limitations stem not only from capacity constraints but also from the inherent instability of stored information.

"Visual memory, the long and the short of it: A review of visual working memory and long-term memory" by Mark W. Schurgin

Summary

This tutorial review by Mark Schurgin synthesizes research on visual working memory (VWM) and visual episodic long-term memory (VLTM), bridging the traditionally compartmentalized approaches to these areas. The review contrasts VWM, defined by its short-term retention and manipulation of information, with VLTM, characterised by passive, long-term storage. Key theoretical models of each are explored: VWM's fixed-slot and continuous resource models, and VLTM's dual-process signal-detection and continuous dual-process models (exploring recollection and familiarity), alongside pattern separation and completion. Finally, the review highlights common methodologies used in both fields (e.g., change-detection, old/similar/new judgments, 2AFC tests, and delayed estimation), arguing for a more integrated approach to future research by connecting seemingly disparate concepts and methods across these traditionally distinct memory systems.

"Visual working memory contaminates perception" by Min-Suk Kang & Sang Wook Hong & Randolph Blake &Geoffrey F. Woodman

Summary

This research article investigates the interaction between visual working memory and visual perception. The authors demonstrate that visual working memory representations directly influence the perception of subsequently presented visual stimuli, specifically affecting the perception of motion direction. Using a motion repulsion paradigm and a series of carefully designed experiments, they rule out alternative explanations such as motion adaptation, eye movements, and visual priming. Their findings strongly suggest that visual working memory and visual perception share overlapping neural mechanisms, implying that information stored in working memory actively interacts with sensory processing, potentially affecting what we see.

"Working Memory Capacity as

Summary

This academic paper explores the concept of working memory capacity (WMC), arguing that it's distinct from short-term memory and significantly contributes to general fluid intelligence. The author posits that WMC, essentially executive attention, is crucial for managing interference and maintaining task goals. Research using tasks like the Stroop and antisaccade tests demonstrates that individuals with high WMC exhibit superior ability to control attention and resist interference, leading to better performance on complex cognitive tasks. The study uses statistical modelling to support the claim that WMC, not simply memory storage, is the key factor predicting success in higher-order cognitive functions.

"How Working Memory and the Cerebellum Collaborate to Produce Creativity and Innovation" by Larry R. Vandervert, Paul H. Schimpf & Hesheng Liu

Summary

This research article proposes a novel theory of creativity and innovation, positing that working memory and the cerebellum collaborate to produce these cognitive feats. The authors argue that repetitive working memory processes, crucial for tasks like problem-solving, are learned as cognitive control models within the cerebellum's MOSAIC and HMOSAIC architectures. These cerebellar models, comprising paired predictor and controller models, efficiently manage working memory operations, leading to creative solutions, including instances of "insight" and "intuition". The theory is supported by analysis of Einstein's autobiographical accounts and integrates findings from behavioural and neuroimaging studies of working memory and cerebellar functions. Ultimately, the article aims to provide a neurophysiological framework for understanding creativity, suggesting that advanced electromagnetic inverse techniques can further validate the proposed theory.

"Influence of handedness and bilateral eye movements on creativity" by Elizabeth R. Shobe, Nicholas M. Ross, Jessica I. Fleck

Summary

This 2009 research paper investigates the link between inter-hemispheric interaction (IHI) and creativity. The study uses handedness (mixed-handers exhibiting greater IHI than strong-handers) and a bilateral eye movement (EM) task (manipulating state IHI) to test this relationship, employing the Alternate Uses Test to measure five creativity dimensions. Results reveal higher creativity in mixed-handers across all dimensions. Bilateral EM enhanced originality and flexibility in strong-handers, but not mixed-handers, suggesting that increased IHI facilitates creativity primarily in those with lower baseline IHI. The study further explores the duration of the bilateral EM effect on creativity, finding it temporally limited.