A colorful advantage in iconic memory

Cognition
Radhika S Gosavi, Edward M Hubbard

Abstract

Synesthesia is a benign neurodevelopmental condition in which stimulation of one sensory modality evokes experiences in a second, unstimulated modality (Simner and Hubbard, 2013). In grapheme-color synesthesia (GCS), which is experienced by 1-2% of adults, synesthetes reliably and involuntarily experience specific colors when viewing blackand-white graphemes. Previous case-studies have identified synesthetes with spectacular memory (Luria, 1968; Smilek, Dixon, Cudahy, & Merikle, 2001) and group studies have found advantages for synesthetes compared to nonsynesthetes in long-term memory (Rothen, Meier, & Ward, 2012). Here, we tested whether similar advantages are also present in earlier stages of memory. We tested visual iconic memory-the sensory store for vision-which has a very large capacity, but decays approximately 1000 ms after stimulus offset (Chow, 1985; Sergent et al., 2013; Sperling, 1960). We tested 20 synesthetes and 20 nonsynesthetes in a direct replication of the Sperling (1960) Partial Report Paradigm using letters (Experiment 1) and non-alphanumeric symbols (Experiment 2) as stimuli. Overall, synesthetes had a greater iconic memory capacity than nonsynesthetes when presented with synesthesia-inducing letter stimu...Continue Reading

References

May 1, 1985·Memory & Cognition·S L CHow
Mar 1, 1980·Perception & Psychophysics·M Coltheart
Sep 27, 2000·Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America·M E WheelerR L Buckner
May 24, 2001·Proceedings. Biological Sciences·V S Ramachandran, E M Hubbard
Oct 12, 2001·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·D SmilekP M Merikle
Jan 22, 2003·Vision Research·Rogier LandmanVictor A F Lamme
Feb 1, 1963·Human Factors·G SPERLING
May 11, 2006·Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior·Julian E AsherSimon Baron-Cohen
May 11, 2006·Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior·Mike J DixonPhilip M Merikle
Aug 22, 2006·Journal of Neuroscience Methods·David M EaglemanAnand K Sarma
Nov 2, 2006·Perception·Julia SimnerJamie Ward
Apr 25, 2007·The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology : QJEP·Caroline Yaro, Jamie Ward
Feb 28, 2008·PloS One·Ilja G SligteVictor A F Lamme
Nov 10, 2009·Neurocase·David Brang, V S Ramachandran
Aug 19, 2010·Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience·Claire SergentGeraint Rees
May 29, 2012·Neuroscience and Biobehavioral Reviews·Nicolas RothenJamie Ward
Dec 19, 2012·Current Biology : CB·Claire SergentCatherine Tallon-Baudry
Aug 2, 2015·Neuropsychologia·Fiona N Newell, Kevin J Mitchell

❮ Previous
Next ❯

Related Concepts

Trending Feeds

COVID-19

Coronaviruses encompass a large family of viruses that cause the common cold as well as more serious diseases, such as the ongoing outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19; formally known as 2019-nCoV). Coronaviruses can spread from animals to humans; symptoms include fever, cough, shortness of breath, and breathing difficulties; in more severe cases, infection can lead to death. This feed covers recent research on COVID-19.

Blastomycosis

Blastomycosis fungal infections spread through inhaling Blastomyces dermatitidis spores. Discover the latest research on blastomycosis fungal infections here.

Nuclear Pore Complex in ALS/FTD

Alterations in nucleocytoplasmic transport, controlled by the nuclear pore complex, may be involved in the pathomechanism underlying multiple neurodegenerative diseases including Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis and Frontotemporal Dementia. Here is the latest research on the nuclear pore complex in ALS and FTD.

Applications of Molecular Barcoding

The concept of molecular barcoding is that each original DNA or RNA molecule is attached to a unique sequence barcode. Sequence reads having different barcodes represent different original molecules, while sequence reads having the same barcode are results of PCR duplication from one original molecule. Discover the latest research on molecular barcoding here.

Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Chronic fatigue syndrome is a disease characterized by unexplained disabling fatigue; the pathology of which is incompletely understood. Discover the latest research on chronic fatigue syndrome here.

Evolution of Pluripotency

Pluripotency refers to the ability of a cell to develop into three primary germ cell layers of the embryo. This feed focuses on the mechanisms that underlie the evolution of pluripotency. Here is the latest research.

Position Effect Variegation

Position Effect Variagation occurs when a gene is inactivated due to its positioning near heterochromatic regions within a chromosome. Discover the latest research on Position Effect Variagation here.

STING Receptor Agonists

Stimulator of IFN genes (STING) are a group of transmembrane proteins that are involved in the induction of type I interferon that is important in the innate immune response. The stimulation of STING has been an active area of research in the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases. Here is the latest research on STING receptor agonists.

Microbicide

Microbicides are products that can be applied to vaginal or rectal mucosal surfaces with the goal of preventing, or at least significantly reducing, the transmission of sexually transmitted infections. Here is the latest research on microbicides.

Related Papers

Neuron
Edward M Hubbard, Vilayanur S Ramachandran
Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior
Edward M HubbardVilayanur S Ramachandran
© 2022 Meta ULC. All rights reserved