title: Dynamic instability of visuospatial images.
abstract: Five experiments using a visuospatial task were conducted to study memory accuracy and variability and to identify the origin of variations in steady states. This research was conducted from a dynamical perspective, that is, by analyzing the temporal course of discrepancies between the perceptual configuration and its memory (accuracy) and the temporal course of discrepancies between 2 successive memories (variability). In Experiment 1 the stimulus (12 black dots randomly disposed) was presented repeatedly to assess the general evolution of accuracy and variability. In Experiments 2 and 3 memory accuracy and memory variability were separated to identify their relationship. In Experiments 4 and 5 memory variability was studied to determinate the origin of steady state variations. Results show that memory accuracy and memory variability evolved independently and that memory variability reached a threshold that was subject-dependent. The dynamic properties of image construction and stability are discussed.
authors.affiliation: Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Paris, France. giraudo@laps.univ-mrs.fr
authors.forename: M D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Giraudo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pailhous
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001288:Attention; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011939:Mental Recall; D008875:Middle Aged; D009949:Orientation; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011597:Psychomotor Performance