Working Memory Load Effects on the Tilt Aftereffect

Mei, Gaoxing; Cen, Mofen; Luo, Xu; Qiu, Shiming; Pan, Yun · 2021 · OpenAlex-citations

DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.618712

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Summary

This study investigates whether working memory load, a high-level cognitive function, modulates the tilt aftereffect (TAE), a perceptual phenomenon typically attributed to low-level visual processing. While previous research established that attention influences the TAE, the specific impact of working memory load remained unclear. The authors hypothesized that high working memory load would reduce the magnitude of the TAE by consuming cognitive resources necessary for processing irrelevant visual information, based on load theory. To test this, the researchers conducted two experiments combining a working memory task with a TAE measurement. In Experiment 1, 17 participants performed a digit memory task under high-load (remembering six unique digits), low-load (remembering six identical digits), or no-memory load conditions. During the adaptation phase, participants recognized probe digits presented over an adapting grating. In Experiment 2, a separate group of 17 participants performed a similar paradigm using color-shape conjunctions instead of digits to test the generality of the findings. In both experiments, the TAE magnitude was measured via orientation judgments of a test grating following adaptation, with control conditions used to remove individual biases. Experiment 1 yielded significant results supporting the hypothesis. High working memory load significantly reduced the magnitude of the TAE (3.17°) compared to low load (4.26°), with a statistically significant difference ($p = 0.010$). Significant TAEs were observed in all conditions, indicating that adaptation occurred even when the grating was not the primary focus of attention. However, Experiment 2 failed to replicate this finding. When using color-shape conjunctions as the memory load stimuli, there was no significant difference in TAE magnitude between high-load (3.64°), low-load (3.84°), and no-memory load (3.66°) conditions ($p = 0.565$). The study provides mixed evidence regarding the modulation of the TAE by working memory load. The results suggest that the effect may depend on the specific nature of the memory load task, as the reduction in TAE was observed with digit stimuli but not with color-shape conjunctions. The authors conclude that while visual adaptation is largely automatic, it can be modulated by high-level cognitive processes like working memory, particularly when those processes demand significant resources. These findings highlight the complex interaction between high-level cognitive functions and low-level perceptual mechanisms, suggesting that future research must clarify how different types of cognitive loads and modalities influence various visual aftereffects.

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