Visual Memory

Working memory – a system that maintains information temporarily while it is being accessed and manipulated – is essential for cognitive abilities from object identification and spatial navigation, to language and problem solving. In fact, visual working memory (VWM) is so vital for perceiving and interacting with the world that an individual’s VWM capacity is highly predictive of both fluid intelligence and actual scholastic achievement (Fukuda et al., 2010). Despite its importance, VWM is severely limited in capacity. Since the limits of VWM translate directly into constraints on cognition and performance, it is vital to identify the factors that affect VWM, investigate why VWM capacity differs so markedly among individuals, and determine whether VWM can be enhanced.