The role of the motor system in the retention of information

保持事件秩序的能力是我们大多数日常活动的核心。一些旨在研究序列记忆的研究使用了序列回忆任务，在该任务中，参与者被呈现一系列项目(例如数字)，并要求他们按照呈现的顺序回忆它们。一些模型认为，序列信息的保留依赖于知觉和运动系统(知觉-手势观点；Jones，Hughes，&Macken，2006)。例如，当参与者试图以特定的顺序记住一系列数字时，他们会建立一个包括发音手势安排的计划，就像他们想要交谈时所做的那样(Woodward，Macken，&Jones，2008)。然而，马达系统在保持过程中的作用被证明是非常困难的，因为潜在的过程没有得到很好的说明。该研究项目的目标是通过研究不同运动系统(如眼球运动)在保持中的作用来确定与保持有关的过程。为了做到这一点，我将使用连续回忆范式，在这个范式中，参与者将被要求记忆复杂的自然物体。之所以选择这些刺激物，是因为它们能承受几个运动动作。因此，我将操纵物品的各种马达特征(例如，如何抓取或操纵它们)以及在保留期间招募的马达系统。例如，我将操纵物体提供的运动动作之间的相似性，并检查其对回忆性能的影响。该项目将允许调查在保留过程中使用哪些运动技能，以及保留是否涉及特定技能或由几种技能共享的一般运动过程。目前的研究计划将允许开发记忆的知觉-手势观点，并将其与其他记忆模型进行测试。

The capacity to retain the order of events is central to most of our everyday activities. Several studies aimed at investigating serial memory used the serial recall task in which participants are presented with series of items (e.g., digits) and asked to recall them in the same order they were presented. Some models suggest that the retention of serial information depends on the perceptual and motor systems (the perceptual-gestural view; Jones, Hughes, & Macken, 2006). For instance, when participants try to retain series of digits in a specific order, they would build up a plan comprising an arrangement of articulatory gestures, just as they do when they want to talk (Woodward, Macken, & Jones, 2008). The role of the motor system in retention however, has proved very difficult to test because the underlying processes are not well specified. The goal of this research program is to define the processes that are involved in retention by examining the role of the different motor systems (e.g., eye movements) in retention. In order to do this, I will use a serial recall paradigm in which participants will be asked to memorise complex natural objects. These stimuli are selected because they afford several motor actions. I will therefore manipulate various motor characteristics of the objects (e.g., how they can be seized or manipulated) and the motor systems recruited during retention. For instance, I will manipulate the similarity between the motor actions afforded by the objects and examine the effect on recall performance. The project will allow investigating what motor skills are used during retention and whether retention involves specific skills or general motor processes shared by several skills. The present research program will allow developing the perceptual-gestural view of memory and to test it against other models of memory.