Representation and memory for objects in real and virtual environments

This thesis tested the premise that structure/compartmentalization facilitates object memory by promoting feature binding. Sixty-four participants explored novel real and virtual environments that differed in terms of spatial structure. An object location memory paradigm was used within a 2 (Environment Type: Real vs. Virtual) X 2 (Spatial Structure: Simple vs. Structured) between-subjects design. It was hypothesized that the configuration of the structured environments (i.e., compartmentalization through inner walls) would enable a (pre-attentive) grouping strategy resulting in deeper encoding of an object's identity and location with equally strong colour and form representations. This contrasts with previous research showing that in environments without structure form is more strongly represented than colour. The results showed an effect of structure on object representation in that form and colour were recalled equally well in structured versus simple environments; and preferential representation of form over colour did occur in simple environments.