434 research outputs found
Models of verbal working memory capacity: What does it take to make them work?
No full textTheories of working memory (WM) capacity limits will be more useful when we know what aspects of performance are governed by the limits and what aspects are governed by other memory mechanisms. Whereas considerable progress has been made on models of WM capacity limits for visual arrays of separate objects, less progress has been made in understanding verbal materials, especially when words are mentally combined to form multiword units or chunks. Toward a more comprehensive theory of capacity limits, we examined models of forced-choice recognition of words within printed lists, using materials designed to produce multiword chunks in memory (e.g., leather brief case). Several simple models were tested against data from a variety of list lengths and potential chunk sizes, with test conditions that only imperfectly elicited the interword associations. According to the most successful model, participants retained about 3 chunks on average in a capacity-limited region of WM, with some chunks being only subsets of the presented associative information (e.g., leather brief case retained with leather as one chunk and brief case as another). The addition to the model of an activated long-term memory component unlimited in capacity was needed. A fixed-capacity limit appears critical to account for immediate verbal recognition and other forms of WM. We advance a model-based approach that allows capacity to be assessed despite other important processing contributions. Starting with a psychological-process model of WM capacity developed to understand visual arrays, we arrive at a more unified and complete model.</p
International Conference on Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics (TAUP 2011)
No full textThe 12th edition of the International Conference on Topics in Astroparticle and Underground Physics (TAUP 2011) was held 5–9 September 2011 in Munich (and for the first time in Germany). It was organized by the Max Planck Institute for Physics (MPP), the Technical University Munich (TUM) and the Cluster of Excellence 'Origin and Structure of the Universe'. The conference was held in the 'Künstlerhaus', a traditional downtown location for artistic festivities. The meeting attracted 317 participants (61 of which were women) from 29 countries, see figure below. The topics covered by the meeting were Cosmology and particle physics, Dark matter and its detection, Neutrino physics and astrophysics, Gravitational waves and High-energy astrophysics and cosmic rays, and the various interfaces between these areas. The scientific sessions consisted of five mornings of plenary talks, four afternoons of parallel sessions, and an evening poster session. The co-founder of the conference series, Alessandro Bottino, has decided to retire from the position of chairman of the TAUP Steering Committee after the completion of TAUP 2011. On behalf of all followers of this series, we thank him for having started these inspiring events and his many years of dedicated service. We thank all speakers, conveners and participants as well as the members of the organizing, steering and international advisory committee for making this a successful and memorable meeting. Lothar Oberauer, Georg Raffelt, Robert Wagner Proceedings editors ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/1742-6596/375/00/001001/figure.jpg] {Figure ----- -- Committees ----- -- International Advisory Committee ----- -- G Anton -- University of Erlangen ----- -- E Aprile -- Columbia University ----- -- M Baldo-Ceolin -- University of Padova ----- -- R Battiston -- University of Perugia & INFN ----- -- L Bergström -- University Stockholm ----- -- R Bernabei -- University of Rome 'Tor Vergata' ----- -- A Bettini -- LSC Canfranc ----- -- P Binetruy -- APC Paris ----- -- J Blümer -- Karlsruhe Institute of Technology ----- -- B Cabrera -- Stanford University ----- -- A Caldwell -- Max Planck Institute for Physics ----- -- M Chen -- Queens University ----- -- E Coccia -- University of Rome 'Tor Vergata' ----- -- K Danzmann -- Max Planck Institute for Gravitational Physics ----- -- S Dodelson -- Fermilab ----- -- G Domogatsky -- INR Moscow ----- -- E Fiorini -- Universitàdi Milano Bicocca & INFN ----- -- K Freese -- University of Michigan ----- -- M Fukugita -- ICRR Tokyo ----- -- T Gaisser -- University of Delaware ----- -- G Gerbier -- CEA Saclay ----- -- F Halzen -- University of Wisconsin ----- -- W Haxton -- LNBL & UC Berkeley ----- -- J Hough -- Glasgow University ----- -- E Komatsu -- University of Texas ----- -- E Katsavounidis -- Massachusetts Institute of Technology ----- -- M Lindner -- Max Planck Institute for Nuclear Physics ----- -- K Lesko -- LBNL & UC Berkeley ----- -- A McDonald -- Queens University & SNO Laboratory ----- -- H Murayama -- IPMU Tokyo & UC Berkeley ----- -- A Olinto -- University of Chicago ----- -- L Resvanis -- University of Athens ----- -- A Rubbia -- ETH Zurich ----- -- S Sarkar -- University of Oxford ----- -- A Smirnov -- ICTP Trieste ----- -- N Smith -- SNO Laboratory ----- -- C Spiering -- DESY Zeuthen ----- -- N Spooner -- University of Sheffield ----- -- Y Suzuki -- ICRR Tokyo ----- -- M Teshima -- Max Planck Institute for Physics ----- -- J W F Valle -- IFIC & University of Valencia ----- -- L Votano -- LNGS ----- -- E Waxman -- Weizmann Institute ----- -- J Wilkerson -- University of North Carolina ----- ----- -- TAUP Steering Committee ----- -- F T Avignone -- University of South Carolina ----- -- B C Barish -- Caltech ----- -- E Bellotti -- University of Milan Bicoccia & INFN ----- -- J Bernabeu -- University of Valencia ----- -- A Bottino -- University of Turin & INFN (chair) ----- -- N Fornengo -- University of Turin & INFN ----- -- T Kajita -- ICRR Tokyo ----- -- C W Kim -- Johns Hopkins University & KIAS ----- -- V Matveev -- INR Moscow ----- -- G Raffelt -- Max Planck Institute for Physics ----- -- D Sinclair -- University of Carleton ----- -- M Spiro -- CEA Saclay ----- ----- -- Parallel Session Conveners ----- -- Dark Matter – Candidates and Searches ----- -- J-C Lanfranchi -- Technische Universität München ----- -- T Marrodán Undagoitia -- University of Zurich ----- -- T Bringmann -- Universität Hamburg ----- ----- -- Cosmology ----- -- J Weller -- Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München ----- -- S Hannestad -- University of Aarhus ----- ----- -- Double Beta Decay, Neutrino Mass ----- -- M Hirsch -- IFIC/CSIC - University of Valencia ----- -- A Giuliani -- CNRS Orsay ----- ----- -- Neutrino Oscillations ----- -- T Lachenmaier -- Universität Tübingen ----- -- F Suekane -- Tohoku University ----- ----- -- Low-Energy Neutrinos (Geo, Solar, Supernova) ----- -- A Dighe -- TIFR Mumbai ----- -- M Chen -- Queen's University ----- -- M Wurm -- Universität Hamburg ----- ----- -- Gravitational Waves ----- -- E Coccia -- University of Rome Tor Vergata and INFN ----- -- S Marka -- Columbia University ----- ----- -- Astrophysical Messengers (Neutrinos, Gamma-Rays, Cosmic Rays) ----- -- R M Wagner -- Max-Planck-Institut für Physik ----- -- M Kachelriess -- University of Trondheim ----- -- M Kowalski -- University of Bonn ----- ----- -- Organizing Committee ----- -- N Fornengo -- Torino University and INFN ----- -- B Majorovits -- Max-Planck-Institut für Physik ----- -- L Oberauer -- Technische Universität M ü nchen (co-chair) ----- -- G Raffelt -- Max-Planck-Institut für Physik (co-chair) ----- -- S Rodríguez -- Max-Planck-Institut für Physik (conference secretary) ----- -- S Schönert -- Technische Universität München ----- -- D Sinclair -- SNO Laboratory & Carleton University ----- -- R M Wagner -- Max-Planck-Institut für Physik (scientific secretary) ----- -- B Wankerl -- Excellence Cluster 'Origin and Structure of the Universe' ----- -- M Wurm -- Technische Universität München ----- -- S Zollinger -- Max-Planck-Institut für Physik ----- ##IMG## [http://ej.iop.org/images/1742-6596/375/00/001001/group.jpg] {Conference photographPeer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/98633/1/1742-6596_375_00_001001.pd
Short-term memory as a working memory control process
No full textAben et al. (2012) take issue with the unthoughtful use of the terms “working memory” (WM) and “short-term memory” (STM) in the cognitive and neuroscientific literature. Whereas I agree that neuroscientists using the term WM to refer to sustained neural activation and cognitive psychologists using the terms interchangeably reflects that the field has lost control over its own dictionary, the recommendations to develop more tasks does not seem to get to the heart of the matter. Here, I argue in favor of a theoretical approach to the constructs of WM and STM, as the terms have become as impure as the tasks that purport to measure the constructs
Route repetition and route retracing: effects of cognitive aging
No full textRetracing a recently traveled route is a frequent navigation task when learning novel routes or exploring unfamiliar environments. In the present study we utilized virtual environments technology to investigate age-related differences in repeating and retracing a learned route. In the training phase of the experiment participants were guided along a route consisting of multiple intersections each featuring one unique landmark. In the subsequent test phase, they were guided along short sections of the route and asked to indicate overall travel direction (repetition or retracing), the direction required to continue along the route, and the next landmark they would encounter. Results demonstrate age-related deficits in all three tasks. More specifically, in contrast to younger participants, the older participants had greater problems during route retracing than during route repetition. While route repetition can be solved with egocentric response or route strategies, successfully retracing a route requires allocentric processing. The age-related deficits in route retracing are discussed in the context of impaired allocentric processing and shift from allocentric to egocentric navigation strategies as a consequence of age-related hippocampal degeneration. - See more at: http://journal.frontiersin.org/Journal/10.3389/fnagi.2012.00007/abstract#sthash.xK4Htsfy.dpu
Functional imaging reveals working memory and attention interact to produce the attentional blink
No full textCopyright @ 2012 Massachusetts Institute of Technology PressIf two centrally presented visual stimuli occur within approximately half a second of each other, the second target often fails to be reported correctly. This effect, called the attentional blink (AB; Raymond, J. E., Shapiro, K. L., & Arnell, K. M. Temporary suppression of visual processing in an RSVP task: An attentional blink? Journal of Experimental Psychology, Human Perception and Performance, 18, 849-860, 1992], has been attributed to a resource "bottleneck," likely arising as a failure of attention during encoding into or retrieval from visual working memory (WM). Here we present participants with a hybrid WM-AB study while they undergo fMRI to provide insight into the neural underpinnings of this bottleneck. Consistent with a WM-based bottleneck account, fronto-parietal brain areas exhibited a WM load-dependent modulation of neural responses during the AB task. These results are consistent with the view that WM and attention share a capacity-limited resource and provide insight into the neural structures that underlie resource allocation in tasks requiring joint use of WM and attention.This research was supported by a project grant (071944) from the Wellcome Trust to Kimron Shapiro
How Does Processing Affect Storage in Working Memory Tasks? Evidence for Both Domain-General and Domain-Specific Effects
No full textTwo studies that examine whether the forgetting caused by the processing demands of working memory tasks is domain-general or domain-specific are presented. In each, separate groups of adult participants were asked to carry out either verbal or nonverbal operations on exactly the same processing materials while maintaining verbal storage items. The imposition of verbal processing tended to produce greater forgetting even though verbal processing operations took no longer to complete than did nonverbal processing operations. However, nonverbal processing did cause forgetting relative to baseline control conditions, and evidence from the timing of individuals' processing responses suggests that individuals in both processing groups slowed their responses in order to "refresh" the memoranda. Taken together the data suggest that processing has a domain-general effect on working memory performance by impeding refreshment of memoranda but can also cause effects that appear domain-specific and that result from either blocking of rehearsal or interference.</p
With development, list recall includes more chunks, not just larger ones.
No full textThe nature of the childhood development of immediate recall has been difficult to determine. There could be a developmental increase in either the number of chunks held in working memory or the use of grouping to make the most of a constant capacity. In 3 experiments with children in the early elementary school years and adults, we show that improvements in the immediate recall of word and picture lists come partly from increases in the number of chunks of items retained in memory. This finding was based on a distinction between access to a studied group of items (i.e., recall of at least 1 item from the group) and completion of the accessed group (i.e., the proportion of the items recalled from the group). Access rates increased with age, even with statistical controls for completion rates, implicating development of capacity in chunks. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved
The nature and the position of processing determines why forgetting occurs in working memory tasks
No full textFigural Effects in a Syllogistic Evaluation Paradigm: An Inspection-Time Analysis.
No full textRobust biases have been found in syllogistic reasoning that relate to the figure of premises and to the directionality of terms in given conclusions. Mental models theorists (e.g., Johnson-Laird & Byrne, 1991) have explained figural bias by assuming that reasoners can more readily form integrated models of premises when their middle terms are contiguous than when they are not. Biases associated with the direction of conclusion terms have been interpreted as reflecting a natural mode of reading off conclusions from models according to a “first-in, first-out principle”. We report an experiment investigating the impact of systematic figural and conclusion-direction manipulations on the processing effort directed at syllogistic components, as indexed through a novel inspection-time method. The study yielded reliable support for mentalmodels predictions concerning the nature and locus of figural and directionality effects in syllogistic reasoning. We argue that other accounts of syllogistic reasoning seem less able to accommodate the full breadth of inspection-time findings observed
Nucleus: searching for coherent neutrino nucleus scattering at lowest energies
No full textCoherent neutrino-nucleus scattering is a promising new tool in the toolbox of electroweak precision measurements at low q-transfer. It will enable precise measurements of standard model (SM) physics like the running of the Weinberg angle but also the search for new physics beyond the SM like sterile neutrinos. The Nucleus experiment aims at the first detection of fully coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering at the Chooz power plant in France, using its two 4GWth reactor cores as high-intensity source for anti-neutrinos. For this endeavour a new experimental site, the Very Near Site (VNS), with a shallow rock overburden of ≈ 3 m w.e. is under development. To be competitive in this challenging environment, Nucleus developed the novel concept of fiducialised cryogenic bolometers based on CaWO4 monocrystals operated at O(10 mK). The signature of a coherent neutrino-nucleus scattering is a nuclear recoil at the 10 eV-scale. Currently, Nucleus is preparing its first phase with 10 g of target mass at the VNS. In this contribution, we will first introduce Nucleus, report its current state and give an outlook to its future
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