Visual vs. Spatial Contributions to Microsaccades and Visual-Spatial Working Memory

  • Joshua T. Gaunt Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA
  • Bruce Bridgeman Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Cruz, USA
Keywords: microsaccades, attention, working memory, dynamic visual noise, concurrent visual tapping

Abstract

Microsaccade rates and directions were monitored while observers performed a visual working memory task at varying retinal eccentricities. We show that microsaccades generate no interference in a working memory task, indicating that spatial working memory is at least partially insulated from oculomotor activity. Intervening tasks during the memory interval affected microsaccade patterns; microsaccade frequency was consistently higher during concurrent spatial tapping (no visual component) than during exposure to dynamic visual noise (no task). Average microsaccade rate peaked after appearance of a fixation cross at the start of a trial, and dipped at cue onset and offset, consistent with previous results. Direction of stimuli in choice tasks did not influence microsaccade direction,however.
Published
2014-03-21
How to Cite
Gaunt, J. T., & Bridgeman, B. (2014). Visual vs. Spatial Contributions to Microsaccades and Visual-Spatial Working Memory. Journal of Eye Movement Research, 7(2). https://doi.org/10.16910/jemr.7.2.2
Section
Articles