DISSOCIATION OF VISUAL AND SPATIAL PROCESSING IN WORKING-MEMORY

Although models of working memory originally included visuo-spatial me mory as an undifferentiated component, recent work indicates that spat ial location is separable from other visual characteristics. The evide nce which is derived from interference, however, typically requires th e division of conscious attention between primary and interference tas ks. In the present experiments the differential effects of an unattend ed flickering surround upon serial recall of a central stimulus presen tation were investigated. Colour changes in the surround created more interference than achromatic flicker when the task was to report eithe r the colours or the patterns presented in the target. When the locati ons of the targets were required, however, the situation was reversed and the achromatic flicker created more interference than did the colo ur flicker. It is suggested that this double dissociation of identific ation and location is best understood in terms of differential involve ment of the magnocellular and parvocellular pathways. (C) 1997 Elsevie r Science Ltd.