Are more items identified than can be reported?

Abstract

Subjects are typically able to report only about four items from a many-item array presented tachistoscopically (full-report span). Current models of visual information processing disagree as to whether the limiting process is best represented as identification or as short-term memory. Estes and Taylor have argued that the number of items identified is up to twice the full-report span and, hence, that memory limits report. Experiment 1 here used a memory-probe method which showed that when no position report is required the large number of items that were identified in the Estes and Taylor paradigm is not greater than the number in a posticonic memory. Experiment 2 indicated that when position report is required the number of items identified (with correct position) does not exceed the number which can be reproduced in full report. These results support models in which memory is entailed by identification either as an aspect of the identification process or as a separate stage.