The time course of activation of object shape and shape+colour representations during memory retrieval

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Electronic versions

  • Toby Lloyd-Jones
    Swansea University
  • Mark Roberts
    Bangor University
  • Charles Leek
  • Nathalie Fouquet
    Swansea University
  • Ewa Truchanowicz
    Swansea University
Little is known about the timing of activating memory for objects and their associated perceptual properties, such as colour, and yet this is important for theories of human cognition. We investigated the time course associated with early cognitive processes related to the activation of object shape and object shape+colour representations respectively, during memory retrieval as assessed by repetition priming in an event-related potential (ERP) study. The main findings were as follows: (1) we identified a unique early modulation of mean ERP amplitude during the N1 that was associated with the activation of object shape independently of colour; (2) we also found a subsequent early P2 modulation of mean amplitude over the same electrode clusters associated with the activation of object shape+colour representations; (3) these findings were apparent across both familiar (i.e., correctly coloured – yellow banana) and novel (i.e., incorrectly coloured - blue strawberry) objects; and (4) neither of the modulations of mean ERP amplitude were evident during the P3. Together the findings delineate the timing of object shape and colour memory systems and support the notion that perceptual representations of object shape mediate the retrieval of temporary shape+colour representations for familiar and novel objects.
Original languageEnglish
Article numbere48550
JournalPLoS ONE
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 14 Nov 2012
View graph of relations