Visualization and memorization as a function of display time and poststimulus processing time.

Three experiments investigated the relationship of short- and long-term components of visual memory to the processing time at presentation. The components were isolated by measuring the recognition of novel visual patterns after a short, unfilled retention interval (STVM) or after interference (LTVM). Experiment 1 showed a dissociation of STVM and LTVM when display time of the target was varied. STVM increased rapily as the display time increased from 60 msec to 200 msec, a result confirmed in Experiment 2 for patterns at two levels of complexity. LTVM increased slowly and irratically as display time increased from 60 msec to 2.6 sec. No increase in LTVM was seen when poststimulus processing time was extended from 400 msec to 2.7 sec. The results post severe problems for single trace theories of visual memory and for serial models that claim that all information in LTVM Is derived from STVM. The distinction between maintenance and elaboration is used to explain the occurrence of visualization without memorization.