Abstract :
[en] Several models have been proposed to explain how we represent serial order in verbal working memory (WM). A majority of models assume that the representation of serial order is based on positional markers that are bound to the items (e.g., Burgess & Hitch, 1999, Oberauer et al., 2012). Another type of model has also been proposed, in which the serial order is represented by a chaining mechanism (i.e., relational codes) where each item predicts the next (Ebbinghaus, 1964). Although this theory conflicts with behavioral observations (e.g., Henson et al., 1996; Kalm & Norris, 2014), the possibility that serial order information can be represented by both positional and relational codes is not excluded (Majerus, 2019). This study examined how a secondary task disrupting relational or positional encoding influences the distance effect, an indicator of the representation of serial order in WM. Participants conducted serial order short-term probe recognition tasks while also performing task interfering with relational or positional processing. In the case of a standard distance effect (higher accuracy for larger distances), relational interference should amplify this effect, while positional interference should attenuate it. In the case of a reverse distance effect (higher accuracy for shorter distances), relational interference should reduce this effect, while positional interference should enhance it. Preliminary results reveal effects of both types of interference, supporting the hypothesis that serial order is represented in WM by multiple mechanisms, including positional and relational codes.
