THE ROLE OF VISUAL WORKING MEMORY IN LEARNING NEW FACES: AN INVESTIGATION ON THE PRESENCE OF INTERFERENCE.

Abstract

It is well documented that the process of face recognition occurs, but research has yet to address the underlying cognitive mechanisms involved in face learning and how an unfamiliar face becomes a familiar one. Existing literature have identified many factors that aid or impair the process of recognising faces such as expression, point of view and context. It is also widely acknowledged that there is a difference between processing unfamiliar and familiar faces. Furthermore, research by Baddeley, Gathercole and Papagno (1998) on the phonological loop and language learning is credible research evidence indicating the role of the visuo-spatial sketchpad in face learning can also be observed. The current research aims to investigate whether the visuo-spatial working memory plays a role in the development of familiarity for faces. To address this novel research question, the current study will examine the effects of visual and verbal interference tasks on correct face identification in working memory and long-term memory. The findings of the present study provided no evidence to support an effect of interference on face recognition can be observed. Keywords: face recognition, visual working memory, visuo-spatial sketchpad, interference