The Influence of Reference Objects on Vector-Based Memory Representations

Vectors, defined by distance and direction information, can represent the spatial relationships between reference objects and target objects. Reference boundaries help to define the space and are mathematically definable by lines, while reference landmarks define specific locations and are definable by points. How do vectors, containing two sources of information relate references and targets? Congruent with neuroscientific evidence we argued that humans rely differentially on distance and direction information when recalling the spatial location of objects. We showed that direction information was better encoded or remembered than distance information relative to landmarks, and that distance information was better encoded or remembered than direction information relative to boundaries. We proposed that the type of reference influences the fidelity of distance and direction information in the spatial representation.

Author

• Galyer, Darin Louis

Language

• en

Keyword

• vector
• landmark
• boundary
• egocentric
• allocentric

Date created

• 2019

Type of Work

• Dissertation

License

• All rights reserved

Rights statement

• In Copyright

GW Unit

• Psychology

Degree

• Ph.D.

Advisor

• Dopkins, Stephen C

Committee Member(s)

• Philbeck, John W
• Kravitz, Dwight J
• Zawidzki, Thadeusz
• Sohn, Myeong-Ho

Persistent URL

•  https://scholarspace.library.gwu.edu/etd/6d56zx02b