Visual short-term memory for multiple sequential arrays

University Of Minnesota-Twin Cities, Minneapolis MN

Investigators

Abstract

It is intuitive that ordinary activity requires on-going memory for what we see, hear, and do. When crossing a busy street we look left and then right and must remember both views. In a social gathering, we remember those around us even when they are not directly in sight. Yet laboratory tests of memory for visual details show surprising limitations: only three or four objects can be remembered at a time. Such severe limitations may contribute to human errors in driving and other activities for instance. With support from the National Science Foundation, Dr. Yuhong Jiang will study visual short-term memory, the form of memory that keeps a visual image in mind for a few seconds. Other researchers have focused on memory for single brief events. Dr. Jiang goes beyond the previous work to investigate memory for sequences of visual events. She also examines how and whether people remember better after prolonged training. Broader impact of this project lies in its educational value and potential practical application. The funded study provides research opportunities for students, who obtain first-hand experience in the conduct of scientific research. Also, by informing engineers what is humanly possible, the study can potentially improve the design of human-machine interface, such as computers, vehicles, and airport surveillance.