Spatial memory

In cognitive psychology and neuroscience, spatial memory is the part of memory responsible for recording information about one's environment and spatial orientation. For example, a person's spatial memory is required in order to navigate around a familiar city, just as a rat's spatial memory is needed to learn the location of food at the end of a maze. It is often argued that in both humans and animals, spatial memories are summarized as a cognitive map. Spatial memory has representations within working, short-term memory and long-term memory. Research indicates that there are specific areas of the brain associated with spatial memory. Many methods are used for measuring spatial memory in children, adults, and animals.

Short-term memory (STM) can be described as a system allowing one to temporarily store and manage information that is necessary to complete complex cognitive tasks. Tasks which employ short-term memory include learning, reasoning, and comprehension. Spatial memory is a cognitive process that enables a person to remember different locations as well as spatial relations between objects. This allows one to remember where an object is in relation to another object; for instance, allowing someone to navigate through a familiar city. Spatial memories are said to form after a person has already gathered and processed sensory information about her or his environment.

Working memory (WM) can be described as a limited capacity system that allows one to temporarily store and process information. This temporary store enables one to complete or work on complex tasks while being able to keep information in mind. For instance, the ability to work on a complicated mathematical problem utilizes one's working memory.

One highly influential theory of WM is the Baddeley and Hitch multi-component model of working memory. The most recent version of this model suggests that there are four subcomponents to WM, namely the phonological loop; the visuo-spatial sketchpad; the central executive; and the episodic buffer. One component of this model, the visuo-spatial sketchpad, is said to be responsible for the temporary storage, maintenance, and manipulation of both visual and spatial information.

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