Reconstructive Memory Biases for Object and Scene Views.

Konkle & Oliva

The view of an object or scene depends on where an observer is standing in relation to the object and scene surfaces, as well as the physical size and arrangement of the objects in the space. In a series of experiments, we found that knowledge about the physical size of objects in the world leads to systematic biases in short-term and long-term memory of ob- ject visual size. Similar results were found for memory of scenes, in which observers tended to remember their location in a space toward the middle of the scene, showing opposite memory biases for both close- up views and wide-angle views. These biases were amplified in scenes presented on a hemispheric panoramic display. Together, these data broadly support a reconstructive view of visual memory, in which ex- isting knowledge of objects and scenes combines with presented views to be remembered, leading to systematic biases toward a normative or prototypical view.

Konkle, T., & Oliva, A. (2009). Reconstructive Memory Biases for Object and Scene Views. Poster presented at the 50th annual meeting of the Psychonomic Society, November 19-21, Boston, MA.