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Revealing visual working memory operations with pupillometry: Encoding, maintenance, and prioritization.

Revealing visual working memory operations with pupillometry: Encoding, maintenance, and prioritization.

Authors :
Koevoet, Damian
Strauch, Christoph
Van der Stigchel, Stefan
Mathôt, Sebastiaan
Naber, Marnix
Source :
WIREs: Cognitive Science; Mar/Apr2024, Vol. 15 Issue 2, p1-15, 15p
Publication Year :
2024

Abstract

Pupillary dynamics reflect effects of distinct and important operations of visual working memory: encoding, maintenance, and prioritization. Here, we review how pupil size predicts memory performance and how it provides novel insights into the mechanisms of each operation. Visual information must first be encoded into working memory with sufficient precision. The depth of this encoding process couples to arousal-linked baseline pupil size as well as a pupil constriction response before and after stimulus onset, respectively. Subsequently, the encoded information is maintained over time to ensure it is not lost. Pupil dilation reflects the effortful maintenance of information, wherein storing more items is accompanied by larger dilations. Lastly, the most task-relevant information is prioritized to guide upcoming behavior, which is reflected in yet another dilatory component. Moreover, activated content in memory can be pupillometrically probed directly by tagging visual information with distinct luminance levels. Through this luminance-tagging mechanism, pupil light responses reveal whether dark or bright items receive more attention during encoding and prioritization. Together, conceptualizing pupil responses as a sum of distinct components over time reveals insights into operations of visual working memory. From this viewpoint, pupillometry is a promising avenue to study the most vital operations through which visual working memory works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Details

Language :
English
ISSN :
19395078
Volume :
15
Issue :
2
Database :
Complementary Index
Journal :
WIREs: Cognitive Science
Publication Type :
Academic Journal
Accession number :
177449389
Full Text :
https://doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1668