Spatial Cognition 2010: Poster Presentations

We examined the relationship between object location and identity memory in visuospatial working memory and how this relationship may change with normal aging. We also investigated metacognitive accuracy, or the ability to monitor one’s own cognitive processes, for spatial information. In Experiment 1 older and younger adults saw up to 5 objects in a 5x5 grid and were instructed to attend to either object identities, object locations, or both. In Experiment 2, older and younger adults were instructed to pay attention to all information. After studying a grid, participants made a Judgment of Learning (JOL) and then completed a yes-no recognition test assessing object identities, locations, or both in combination. Recognition trials were either blocked by question type (Experiment 1) or randomized (Experiment 2). Results from Experiment 1 suggest that participants had the most difficulty remembering combined location and identity information, followed by identity information alone. They had the best memory for location information. Further, while memory for identity alone and combined information declined as array size increased, memory for location remained stable across array size. Finally, older adults’ JOLs were less well calibrated with recognition performance as compared to younger adults. Experiment 2 eliminated the ability to use strategic processing, i.e. when aware of what information will be tested. Results suggest memory differences relevant to strategic processing of specific grid information. Results will be discussed in the context of automaticity of spatial processing (e.g., Hasher and Zacks, 1979) and the role of strategy in visuospatial working memory.