Date of Award
11-28-2007
Degree Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Arts (MA)
Department
Psychology
First Advisor
David A. Washburn - Chair
Second Advisor
Heather M. Kleider
Third Advisor
Eric J. Vanman
Abstract
Estimates of the capacity of visuospatial short-term memory (VSTM) have ranged from less than 1 item to 4 +/- 1 items. The purpose of the present study was to find the capacity of VSTM by looking at the contribution of the other working memory systems (phonological loop and central executive) and determine the factor that limits VSTM capacity (either number of objects or object complexity). In this study, the psychophysiological measure of cerebral blood flow velocity also was incorporated to determine whether changes in cerebral blood flow velocity were indicative of VSTM performance and capacity. Both performance measures and cerebral blood flow velocity indicate that capacity for random polygons is approximately one object. Complexity of the objects affected capacity, such that simple objects had higher capacities and lower cerebral blood flow velocity than complex objects. Other working memory systems were not found to have an effect on performance.
DOI
https://doi.org/10.57709/1061220
Recommended Citation
Barrett, Natasha Ann, "Estimating the Capacity of Visual Short-Term Memory: A Transcranial Doppler Sonography Study." Thesis, Georgia State University, 2007.
doi: https://doi.org/10.57709/1061220