title: Spatial attention interacts with serial-order retrieval from verbal working memory.
abstract: The ability to maintain the serial order of events is recognized as a major function of working memory. Although general models of working memory postulate a close link between working memory and attention, such a link has so far not been proposed specifically for serial-order working memory. The present study provided the first empirical demonstration of a direct link between serial order in verbal working memory and spatial selective attention. We show that the retrieval of later items of a sequence stored in working memory-compared with that of earlier items-produces covert attentional shifts toward the right. This observation suggests the conceptually surprising notion that serial-order working memory, even for nonspatially defined verbal items, draws on spatial attention.
authors.affiliation: 1Department of Experimental Psychology, Ghent University.
authors.forename: Jean-Philippe
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: van Dijck
authors.forename: Elger L
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Abrahamse
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Majerus
authors.forename: Wim
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Fias
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001530:Belgium; D003463:Cues; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008570:Memory, Short-Term / Q000502:physiology*; D012691:Serial Learning / Q000502:physiology*; D013028:Space Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology; D014705:Verbal Behavior / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: attention; short-term memory