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Measuring the perceptual and mnemonic effect of contextual information on individual item representation

Choi, Yong Min
http://orcid.org/0000-0002-3279-5683
http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1650993279988606

Abstract Details

2022, Master of Science, Ohio State University, Psychology.
When encountered with multiple objects distributed across a visual scene, the visual system encodes not only the representation of the individual item but also the contextual information of surrounding items. While studies have shown either attractive or repulsive effects of contextual information on individual item representation, whether the observed contextual effect occurs at perception or during the memory retention period remains unclear. Here, we used a modified version of the size comparison task to test the perceptual and mnemonic effect of contextual information on individual size representation. In each trial, participants reported the larger one between the two circles presented sequentially. One of the two circles was presented with task-irrelevant circles of varying sizes (reference circle) while the other circle was presented in isolation (test circle). The reference circle was presented either before (Memory bias condition) or after (Perceptual bias condition) the presentation of the test circle. Since participants had to make a decision as soon as the second circle disappears, the perceptual bias condition measured the contextual bias with minimal involvement of the mnemonic process. In a series of experiments, we found robust repulsion bias away from the group sizes at the perceptual encoding phase (Experiments 1, 2A, 2B, 2C, and 3). Moreover, we found the effect of the memory retention period on contextual effect in a form of reduced repulsion bias only when the target circle was larger than the mean size (Experiment 2C) or when the number of set-size was high (Experiment 3). To summarize, there was robust perceptual repulsion bias away from the contextual information and tentative evidence for the mnemonic attraction bias on top of the perceptual bias. The current study showed both perceptual and mnemonic processes responsible for the effect of contextual information, and the utility of the modified comparison task in investigating the source of representational bias.
Julie D. Golomb (Advisor)
Ian Michael Krajbich (Committee Member)
Andrew B Leber (Committee Member)
70 p.
Cognitive Psychology; Psychology
Visual perception; Psychophysics; Visual memory; Contextual information; Individual item representation

Recommended Citations

Citations

  • Choi, Y. M. (2022). Measuring the perceptual and mnemonic effect of contextual information on individual item representation [Master's thesis, Ohio State University]. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1650993279988606

    APA Style (7th edition)

  • Choi, Yong Min. Measuring the perceptual and mnemonic effect of contextual information on individual item representation. 2022. Ohio State University, Master's thesis. OhioLINK Electronic Theses and Dissertations Center, http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1650993279988606.

    MLA Style (8th edition)

  • Choi, Yong Min. "Measuring the perceptual and mnemonic effect of contextual information on individual item representation." Master's thesis, Ohio State University, 2022. http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=osu1650993279988606

    Chicago Manual of Style (17th edition)

osu1650993279988606
107
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