An n-back task using vibrotactile stimulation with comparison to an auditory analogue.
We report a vibrotactile version of the common n-back task used to study working memory. Subjects wore vibrotactile stimulators on three fingers of one hand, and they responded by pressing a button with the other hand whenever the current finger matched the one stimulated n items back. Experiment 1 showed a steep decline in performance as n increased from 1 to 3; each additional level ofn decreased performance by 1.5 d' units on average. Experiment 2 supported a central capacity locus for the vibrotactile task by showing that it correlated strongly with an auditory analogue; both tasks were also related to standard digit span. The vibrotactile version of n-back may be particularly useful in dual-task contexts. It allows the assessment of cognitive capacity in sensory-impaired populations in which touch remains intact, and it may find use in brain-imaging studies in which vibrotactile stimuli impose a memory load.
Klatzky
Roberta L
RL
Department of Psychology, Carnegie Mellon University, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. klatzky@cmu.edu
Giudice
Nicholas A
NA
Marston
James R
JR
Tietz
Jerome
J
Golledge
Reginald G
RG
Loomis
Jack M
JM
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005385:Fingers / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology; D010812:Physical Stimulation; D011597:Psychomotor Performance / Q000502:physiology; D014110:Touch / Q000502:physiology*; D014732:Vibration