Abstract
Working memory allows us to retain visual information to guide upcoming future behavior. In line with this future-oriented purpose of working memory, recent studies have shown that action planning occurs during encoding and retention of a single visual item, for which the upcoming action is certain. We asked whether and how this extends to multi-item visual working memory, when visual representations serve the potential future. Human participants performed a visual working-memory task with a memory-load manipulation (one/two/four items) and a delayed orientation-reproduction report (of one item). We measured EEG to track 15-to 25-Hz beta activity in electrodes contralateral to the required response hand—a canonical marker of action planning. We show an attenuation of beta activity, not only in Load 1 (with one certain future action) but also in Load 2 (with two potential future actions), compared with Load 4 (with low prospective-action certainty). Moreover, in Load 2, potential action planning occurs regardless whether both visual items afford similar or dissimilar manual responses, and it predicts the speed of ensuing memory-guided behavior. This shows that potential action planning occurs during multi-item visual working memory and brings the perspective that working memory helps us prepare for the potential future.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1534-1546 |
| Number of pages | 13 |
| Journal | Journal of cognitive neuroscience |
| Volume | 34 |
| Issue number | 8 |
| Early online date | 1 Jul 2022 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - Aug 2022 |
Bibliographical note
Funding Information:Freek van Ede, British Academy (https://dx.doi.org/10 .13039/501100000286), grant number: NF140330. Freek van Ede, European Commission (https://dx.doi.org/10 .13039/501100000780), grant number: ACCESS2WM. Freek van Ede, European Research Council, grant number: MEMTICIPATION, 850636.
Funding Information:
This research was supported by a Newton International Fellowship from the Royal Society and the British Academy (NF140330), a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellowship from the European Commission (ACCESS2WM), and an ERC Starting Grant from the European Research Council (MEMTICIPATION, 850636); awarded to F. v. E. Data were collected while F. v. E. was a fellow in the Brain & Cognition lab of Anna C. (Kia) Nobre. The authors wish to thank Kia Nobre for her valuable exchanges throughout the lifetime of the project, Sammi Chekroud for his assistance during the collection of the data, and Baiwei Liu and Merlijn Breunesse for their valuable comments on the manuscript.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Massachusetts Institute of Technology.