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The Diversity of Strategies Used in Working Memory for Colors, Orientations, and Positions: A Quantitative Approach to a First-Person Inquiry.

Anka Slana Ozimič, Aleš Oblak, Urban Kordeš, Nina Purg, Jurij Bon, Grega Repovš

Cognitive Science August 2023 DOI: 10.1111/cogs.13333 (opens in new tab)

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Study at a glance

AI-extracted from the abstract
Characteristics Qualitative study Peer reviewed
Sample size 31
Population Participants performing a visuo-spatial working memory change detection task
Topics Philosophy of mind
Keywords Encoding Maintenance Retrieval Strategies Visuo-spatial working memory
Key findings Participants reported 18 strategies for encoding, maintaining, and retrieving information during a working memory task, classed as active or passive. Some strategies and their combinations appeared better suited to specific task conditions, and the results suggest a distinction between strategies for object identity and spatial features, while no robust evidence linked specific strategies to task accuracy.

Abstract

The study of individual experience during the performance of a psychological task using a phenomenological approach is a relatively new area of research. The aim of this paper was to combine first- and third-person approaches to investigate whether the strategies individuals use during a working memory task are associated with specific task conditions, whether the strategies combine to form stable patterns, and whether the use of specific strategies is related to task accuracy. Thirty-one participants took part in an experiment in which they were instructed to remember colors, orientations, or positions of stimuli presented in a change detection task. After every 7th-15th trial, participants took part in an in-depth phenomenological interview in which they described their experiences during the trial that immediately preceded the interview. Qualitative analysis revealed a set of 18 strategies that participants used while performing the task, which we divided into active and passive strategies of encoding, maintenance, and retrieval. Quantitative analysis revealed that while many strategies were used in all task conditions, some strategies and their combinations may be better suited to the specific task demands, while others are more general in nature. The results also suggest a distinction between strategies for encoding object identity and spatial features. Finally, our results did not provide robust evidence for a relationship between specific strategies and task accuracy.

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