The visuospatial sketchpad and the apple meme. Is it true some people can't conjure a delicious mind apple? ๐งต
Exercise:
Mentally walk through your home. Imagine where all of your things are. Try to count how many tables, chairs and windows you have.
If you can do this your visuospatial sketchpad is probably OK, even if your mind apple game is weak.
Mentally walk through your home. Imagine where all of your things are. Try to count how many tables, chairs and windows you have.
If you can do this your visuospatial sketchpad is probably OK, even if your mind apple game is weak.
According to Baddeley, there is large variation in just how visual the memory of individuals may be. Classic example below with Sir Francis Galton.
Yet, this may have a weaker relationship with your visual memory than you might think.
Yet, this may have a weaker relationship with your visual memory than you might think.
In fact, some research has shown an opposite relationship: people who are better at visualizing imagery have worse visual working memory recall!
So if you are apple-impaired, you may have an edge.
So if you are apple-impaired, you may have an edge.
This kind of visuospatial memory is also associated with spatial IQ tasks, such as Raven's Progressive Matrices.
In Apple Meme Discourse, a lot of people have taken it to mean people have empty heads.
But in this case, empty head could actually mean higher IQ.
In Apple Meme Discourse, a lot of people have taken it to mean people have empty heads.
But in this case, empty head could actually mean higher IQ.
I made a thread on the phonological loop. The visuospatial sketchpad is the other component of Baddeley's multimodal model of working memory.
Think about it as your temporary storage for imagery.
Think about it as your temporary storage for imagery.
Fold this paper in your mind. Can you do it? Is it harder if it's an apple?
The ability to manipulate imagery in your mind, to move it through space, is a function of the visualspatial sketchpad and your central executive.
The ability to manipulate imagery in your mind, to move it through space, is a function of the visualspatial sketchpad and your central executive.
Women actually seem to be a little worse at this.
As far as cognitive differences go between men and women, as well as memory tasks, they are usually small if they exist at all.
This seems to be one of few where a cognitive sex difference shows up somewhat consistently.
As far as cognitive differences go between men and women, as well as memory tasks, they are usually small if they exist at all.
This seems to be one of few where a cognitive sex difference shows up somewhat consistently.
How do we know that memory isn't all one big thing and that the visuospatial sketchpad is really a distinct process from the phonological loop.
Well, certainly we experience them as distinct processes. But also...
Well, certainly we experience them as distinct processes. But also...
Interference tasks that are used to disrupt performance in verbal tasks often don't disrupt visual tasks. Visual disruptions similarly don't impair phonological tasks to the full extent that they impair visual tasks.
This also means that verbal memory and spatial memory can work together for recall or memory enhancement.
In a study of expert Japanese abacus users, they were able to do complex calculations by visualizing the abacus.
In a study of expert Japanese abacus users, they were able to do complex calculations by visualizing the abacus.
There are common memory enhancement techniques that people can use to extend their working memory by a huge amount by combining verbal and visual memory.
Method of loci, story generation, etc.
Method of loci, story generation, etc.
So, don't worry if you can't visualize the apple. You can't eat an imaginary apple it has no nutritional value. And the implications for your cognition are small assuming you can do most of the tasks above.
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