[Recognition for variable information in scenes]

Shinrigaku Kenkyu. 2011 Feb;81(6):610-8. doi: 10.4992/jjpsy.81.610.
[Article in Japanese]

Abstract

Visual scenes in daily life involve much variable information. This study examined how three types of variable information (viewing field, brightness, and chromaticity of flood-light illumination) would be retained in memory by varying the level of the information. In Experiment 1, discrimination performance between the test scene and its variation was measured using the constant stimuli method. The results showed worse performance with longer retention time, with no difference related to the type of variation. In Experiment 2, the stimulus variations were made four times greater. In a recognition memory task, participants discriminated between the test scene, its variation, and a new distracter. The results showed that discrimination between the test scene and its variation was worse, but the distracters were easily discriminated. Variations in the viewing field had the most detrimental effect on discrimination performance. These results suggest that the retention of variable information is affected by the frequency of daily experience.

MeSH terms

  • Color
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Light
  • Male
  • Photic Stimulation
  • Recognition, Psychology / physiology*
  • Retention, Psychology
  • Young Adult