Pushing boundary of visual memory reveals limits of IQ tests

Ars Technica ^ | January 31, 2008 | John Timmer

[ECM]

Most of the problem solving we do in order to get through a day involves the use of what's referred to as "working memory." it acts a bit like RAM; we store information we need for the task at hand temporarily, but don't necessarily commit it to permanent memory. A recent study has probed the qualities of visual working memory, and has come to the conclusion that we have a finite and well-defined capacity for visual items, a finding that may have far-reaching implications for one simple reason: that capacity may be what's stressed by IQ tests.

The study appeared in the July issue of Psychological Science, but grabbed attention through a story in another publication that can only be described as wildly inaccurate. It suggests that the study discovered a limit to our ability to multitask, and suggests that it explored the working memory of concepts; it did nothing of the sort. Still, credit to them for bringing a seven-month-old publication to light.

As noted above, the study explores the limits of visual working memory—our capacity to hold onto images of shapes and colors for brief periods of time. Typical tests for this memory involve giving users a brief display of one or more items from a set of related shapes, such as the ones shown below. After a brief delay, an equivalent number of items are shown, and the subjects have to determine whether anything has changed.

[Samwise]

"working memory." it acts a bit like RAM;

Since I've...uh matured...I've been saying that the information is there; the directory just doesn't work anymore. :^)

[Samwise]

This might explain why the memory starts going right about the time you need bifocals. LOL

[RightWhale]

Somebody, a psychologist no doubt, identified six kinds of intelligence that can be measured. Musical is one of them, motor coordinaton another. Ability to reason might or might not be one of them, but isn’t used much anyway.

[ECM]

As long as you aren’t getting a lot of blue screens, you should be ok :)

[Hoosier-Daddy]

Exactly! My FAT is larger, but some parts are being used as much anymore.

[CPOSharky]

The second thing to go is your memory.

I can’t remember the first.

[AbeKrieger]

My guess is it’s some liberal junk science clown trying to discredit the IQ test because, as we have been told, it is inherently discriminatory since “selected” folks don’t perform as well as others on it. And surely the answer cannot be intelligence related, so the test must be flawed.

[processing please hold]

Working memory plays havoc if someone has periodic short term memory problem.

[tbw2]

Is EQ part of that list?

[RightWhale]

I could look it up, I know right where I saw that. I don’t recall that EQ and other abbreviations were mentioned. It’s just one of many, many systems.