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

4Citations
Citations of this article
20Readers
Mendeley users who have this article in their library.

This article is free to access.

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. This article is categorized under: Psychology > Attention Psychology > Memory Psychology > Theory and Methods.

Cite

CITATION STYLE

APA

Koevoet, D., Strauch, C., Van der Stigchel, S., Mathôt, S., & Naber, M. (2024). Revealing visual working memory operations with pupillometry: Encoding, maintenance, and prioritization. Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Cognitive Science, 15(2). https://doi.org/10.1002/wcs.1668

Register to see more suggestions

Mendeley helps you to discover research relevant for your work.

Already have an account?

Save time finding and organizing research with Mendeley

Sign up for free