Brief Report: Effect of Spatial Complexity on Visual Short-Term Memory and Self-Reported Autistic-Like Traits in Typically Developed Individuals

Abstract

This report examines effects of the spatial complexity of configurations on visual short-term memory (VSTM) capacity for individuals from the general population differing on autism-spectrum quotient (AQ) scores. During each trial, nine-line segments with various orientations were arrayed in simple or complex configurations and presented in both memory and test displays. Typically, VSTM capacity decreases with increasing configuration complexity. We found that VSTM capacity for simple configurations was larger than for complex configurations in individuals reporting low AQ, whereas for individuals reporting high AQ, there were no significant differences between these configurations. These results suggest that the effects of spatial complexity on VSTM capacity could be observed in individuals reporting low AQ, but not in individuals reporting high AQ.