Effective encoding for the recognition of spatial configuration and color

Abstract

Three experiments examined the types of encoding that were effective for the recognition of spatial and color information. In Experiments 1 and 2, four experimental groups (each asked to form a different type of mental image of stimuli) and one control group (not asked to form an image) were presented spatial configuration patterns with different numbers of black dots. In both experiments, for the group that formed motor images with actual movement, the average score was higher for stimuli with a larger number of dots than for stimuli with fewer dots. Two groups, which formed dynamic visual images and motor images with no actual movement, respectively, showed similar limited effects. In Experiment 3, the five groups were presented two types of chromatic stimuli (colored panels and colored dots). Static visual images were effective for encoding the colored panels; however, static visual images and motor images with actual movement were effective for encoding the colored dots. These results suggest that motor and dynamic encodings facilitate memory for objects where spatial configuration is important for identification, while static visual images of the whole picture facilitate memory for objects where multiple colors are significant.