Short-term storage capacity for visual objects depends on expertise

Visual short-term memory (VSTM) has traditionally been thought to have a very limited capacity of around 3–4 objects. However, recently several researchers have argued that VSTM may be limited in the amount of information retained rather than by a specific number of objects. Here we present a study of the effect of long-term practice on VSTM capacity. We investigated four age groups ranging from pre-school children to adults and measured the change in VSTM capacity for letters and pictures. We found a clear increase in VSTM capacity for letters with age but not for pictures. Our results indicate that VSTM capacity is dependent on the level of expertise for specific types of stimuli.

► We investigate developmental changes in visual short-term memory capacity (VSTM). ► Training is disentangled from maturation by comparing training versus no-training. ► Increased performance is observed in letters, but not pictures. ► The developmental effect in VSTM is due to overt training.