Abstract
Two experiments were conducted to assess the costs of attentional load during a feature (colour-shape) binding task in younger and older adults. Experiment 1 showed that a demanding backwards counting task, which draws upon central executive/general attentional resources, reduced binding to a greater extent than individual feature memory, but the effect was no greater in older than in younger adults. Experiment 2 showed that presenting memory items sequentially rather than simultaneously, such that items are required to be maintained while new representations are created, selectively affects binding performance in both age groups. Although this experiment exhibited an age-related binding deficit overall, both age groups were affected by the attention manipulation to an equal extent. While a role for attentional processes in colour-shape binding was apparent across both experiments, manipulations of attention exerted equal effects in both age groups. We therefore conclude that age-related binding deficits neither emerge nor are exacerbated under conditions of high attentional load. Implications for theories of visual working memory and cognitive ageing are discussed.
| Language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages | 2067-2079 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology |
| Volume | 63 |
| Issue number | 10 |
| Early online date | 4 May 2010 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 2010 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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Keywords
- adolescent
- aged
- aging
- cognition
- colour Perception
- female
- memory, short-term
- neuropsychological tests
- pattern recognition, visual
- photic stimulation
- reaction time
- young adult
Cite this
}
The role of attention in binding visual features in working memory : evidence from cognitive ageing. / Brown, Louise A.; Brockmole, James R.
In: Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, Vol. 63, No. 10, 2010, p. 2067-2079.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
TY - JOUR
T1 - The role of attention in binding visual features in working memory
T2 - Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
AU - Brown, Louise A.
AU - Brockmole, James R.
PY - 2010
Y1 - 2010
N2 - Two experiments were conducted to assess the costs of attentional load during a feature (colour-shape) binding task in younger and older adults. Experiment 1 showed that a demanding backwards counting task, which draws upon central executive/general attentional resources, reduced binding to a greater extent than individual feature memory, but the effect was no greater in older than in younger adults. Experiment 2 showed that presenting memory items sequentially rather than simultaneously, such that items are required to be maintained while new representations are created, selectively affects binding performance in both age groups. Although this experiment exhibited an age-related binding deficit overall, both age groups were affected by the attention manipulation to an equal extent. While a role for attentional processes in colour-shape binding was apparent across both experiments, manipulations of attention exerted equal effects in both age groups. We therefore conclude that age-related binding deficits neither emerge nor are exacerbated under conditions of high attentional load. Implications for theories of visual working memory and cognitive ageing are discussed.
AB - Two experiments were conducted to assess the costs of attentional load during a feature (colour-shape) binding task in younger and older adults. Experiment 1 showed that a demanding backwards counting task, which draws upon central executive/general attentional resources, reduced binding to a greater extent than individual feature memory, but the effect was no greater in older than in younger adults. Experiment 2 showed that presenting memory items sequentially rather than simultaneously, such that items are required to be maintained while new representations are created, selectively affects binding performance in both age groups. Although this experiment exhibited an age-related binding deficit overall, both age groups were affected by the attention manipulation to an equal extent. While a role for attentional processes in colour-shape binding was apparent across both experiments, manipulations of attention exerted equal effects in both age groups. We therefore conclude that age-related binding deficits neither emerge nor are exacerbated under conditions of high attentional load. Implications for theories of visual working memory and cognitive ageing are discussed.
KW - adolescent
KW - aged
KW - aging
KW - cognition
KW - colour Perception
KW - female
KW - memory, short-term
KW - neuropsychological tests
KW - pattern recognition, visual
KW - photic stimulation
KW - reaction time
KW - young adult
UR - http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/pqje20/63/10#.U2OtPfldWb8
U2 - 10.1080/17470211003721675
DO - 10.1080/17470211003721675
M3 - Article
VL - 63
SP - 2067
EP - 2079
JO - Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
JF - Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
SN - 1747-0218
IS - 10
ER -