THE

 EFFECTS  OF  RELATIONAL  GROUPING  ON  VISUAL  SHORT-­‐TERM  MEMORY   1  

The Effects of Relational Grouping on Visual Short-Term Memory

Joyce S. Sun

University of Sydney
 THE  EFFECTS  OF  RELATIONAL  GROUPING  ON  VISUAL  SHORT-­‐TERM  MEMORY   2  

Abstract

The visual short-term memory (VSTM) is regarded as a component of the short-term memory

involving only visual stimulus. Its retention potential is limited (Luck & Vogel, 1997) and has been

investigated vigorously. Pioneered by Phillips (1974), the change-detection task provides insight into

the capacity of the visual short-term memory (Jiang, Chin, & Olson, 2004) and its involvement with

the working memory system. The current experiment employs methods of change-detection in order

to observe the VSTM system in areas of relational grouping and spatial awareness. Conditions of

congruent and incongruent stimuli are used in order to explore whether subjects perceptually group

the visual stimuli, influencing their ability to detect change. Furthermore, these conditions are

subdivided in order to test the effect of cognitive load. Instructions to ignore would appear either

before or after the probe, influencing the subjects’ attention levels and cognitive load. As

hypothesised, the accuracy of detecting change was higher in the incongruent, lower cognitive load

condition.
 THE  EFFECTS  OF  RELATIONAL  GROUPING  ON  VISUAL  SHORT-­‐TERM  MEMORY   3  

The Effects of Relational Grouping on Visual Short-Term Memory

The short-term memory is capable of holding minimal amounts of information, for short

periods of time, and is divided into verbal and visual systems. Unlike the verbal system, the visual

storage capacity is not yet wholly understood (Luck & Vogel, 1997). The visual short-term memory

(VSTM) system holds information for a brief period of time in order to aid cognitive function (Luck,

2007). Despite this, the VSTM capacity has shown to be limiting (Jiang, Chun, & Olson, 2004), with

studies speculating a capacity of retaining 3 to 4 objects (Woodman, Vogel, & Luck, 2012). The

main area of concern with VSTM is having a lack of definite measurability (Hollingworth, Richard,

& Luck, 2009).

Several different methodologies are used in order to observe the capacity of the VSTM and its

relationship with other systems such as the working memory system, and spatial configuration.

General approaches involve dual-tasks in order to see whether the VSTM system is able to operate

while performing a different task concurrently (Luck, 2009). The change detection-task, pioneered

by Phillips (1974), involves the sequential comparison of the same or slightly altered arrays. The task

demonstrates the relationship between perception and short-term memory, whilst proposing the

importance of relational grouping (Jiang, Chun, & Olson, 2000). An effect can be seen through

relational grouping, as subjects are able to perceive objects in groups based on Gestalt principles – if

objects share similar characteristics (colour, size, etc.), these objects will appear as to ‘belong

together’ in the subjects eyes (Jiang, Chun, & Olson, 2000). By allowing the grouping of these

objects, the amount retained is reduced to a simplified entity, and therefore, increasing VSTM

capacity (Jiang, Chun, & Olson, 2000).

The current research proposes to explore the VSTM in elements of relational grouping, and the

influence on the system through varying cognitive loads. Subjects will be divided into two test

conditions where shapes within the probe will either move congruently or incongruently.

Furthermore, both conditions are subdivided into different cognitive loads. An instruction to ignore
 THE  EFFECTS  OF  RELATIONAL  GROUPING  ON  VISUAL  SHORT-­‐TERM  MEMORY   4  

will appear either before or after the probe, increasing and decreasing cognitive load respectively. It

is hypothesised that if the shapes move incongruently, the test subjects are more likely to identify the

change. Additionally, if the instructions appear BEFORE the probe, test subjects are then, even more

likely to identify the change due to the decrease in cognitive load and increase in VSTM capacity.

Results

Results were calculated from the number of correct answers out of 4 and converted to a

percentage (see Figure 1.). Mean results collected from the congruent condition with instructions to

ignore BEFORE the probe scored 2.61 (65.25%). Subjects from the congruent condition with

instructions to ignore AFTER scored 2.07 (51.75%). Comparing results from both congruent

conditions showed statistical significance (p = .0005). Mean results collected from the incongruent

condition with instructions BEFORE the probe scored 2.88 (72.00%), whereas, subjects from the

incongruent condition with instructions AFTER scored 2.24 (56.00%). These results from the

incongruent condition is also, statistically significant (p = .0008).

The difference between both conditions was found to be significant between congruent

condition and incongruent condition with instructions appearing BEFORE the probe (p = .001).

Despite this, no significance was found between congruent condition and incongruent condition with

instructions AFTER (p = .32).

 THE  EFFECTS  OF  RELATIONAL  GROUPING  ON  VISUAL  SHORT-­‐TERM  MEMORY   5  

Visual Change Detection Accuracy

100
Instruction Timing
Before

80

Percentage (%)

After

60

40

20

0

Congruent
Incongruent

Condition

Figure 1. Mean percentage of accurate answers from each condition and manipulation (instruction

timing – before and after).

Discussion

It is generalised that the VSTM is only able to retain 3 to 4 points of information (objects). The

current experiment subjected test subjects to 10 or 12 objects on a display but only comprising of 4

different shapes. By doing so, it is believed that relational grouping should have transpired in

perception, and therefore, allowing subjects to group these objects on the display as a strategy to

detect change (based on Gestalt principles) (Jiang, Chun, & Olson, 2000). Such a design should

provide the opportunity to observe whether relational grouping would have simplified the visual field

and prevented any loss of accuracy – even with an extant manipulation (instruction to ignore).

From the results, when instructed to ignore a particular shape before the probe, subjects were

able to accurately detect change better than subjects that were instructed to ignore a shape after the

probe. This was hypothesised, as when instructed to ignore a particular shape before the probe,

subjects were able to remove a particular shape from their attention. By doing so, subjects were able

to focus on three groups of shapes rather than four, and ultimately lowering their cognitive load and
 THE  EFFECTS  OF  RELATIONAL  GROUPING  ON  VISUAL  SHORT-­‐TERM  MEMORY   6  

increasing VSTM capacity. Furthermore, subjects subjected to the incongruent condition, were able

to detect change more accurately than those subjected to the congruent condition. The cause of such

a result could be due to the focus on relational grouping of each shape but overlooking the relative

spatial location (Jiang, Chun, & Olson, 2004), preventing the observation of change (Jiang, Chun, &

Olson, 2004).

Results obtained from the current experiment parallel the findings from previous studies. By

testing how certain variables affect the VSTM, it suggests that the system itself functions in a

flexible manner (Woodman, Vogel, & Luck, 2012). How VSTM contributes to the working memory

system depends on various variables, such as relational grouping altering the manner in which

subjects perceive a change-detecting task, even when irrelevant (Jiang, Chun, & Olson, 2004). By

employing relational grouping as a cue to detecting change, as well as, varying levels of cognitive

load, prove an effect on VSTM. However, despite this finding, results concur that the level of

memory capacity within VSTM to be quite limiting (Phillips, 1974).

It is apparent that the VSTM is influenced by several different variables, which alter its

capability. Further investigations such as incorporating other variables, such as sensory systems or

verbal systems, could prove to increase the current level of empirical evidence on the subject.
 THE  EFFECTS  OF  RELATIONAL  GROUPING  ON  VISUAL  SHORT-­‐TERM  MEMORY   7  

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