Eccentricity Constrains Spatial Working Memory Fidelity: Evidence for the Cortical Maps Hypothesis.
Overview
Abstract
Spatial working memory (SWM) has been characterised as a flexible resource that determines the precision with which memoranda are stored. The ‘cortical map’ proposal predicts that resource allocation, and therefore mnemonic precision, is limited by the availability of cortical space to represent memoranda. This hypothesis was tested using a continuous spatial localisation task in which memory items were presented at three eccentricities and set sizes of 1–8. Localisation error increased systematically with eccentricity, as predicted by the cortical maps hypothesis. Mixture-modelling analyses indicated that the eccentricity effect was primarily driven by increases in imprecision at small set sizes (set sizes 1–5). In contrast, when set size exceeded five items, guessing made an increasingly important contribution to localisation error, suggesting that representations of peripheral locations become more vulnerable to memory failure under high memory loads. Misbinding errors were most prominent for locations nearest fixation, likely reflecting reduced inter-item spacing at small eccentricities. Stimuli were not scaled to compensate for cortical magnification, but the observed increase in imprecision closely matched predictions derived from a cortical magnification function. Together, these findings support the cortical maps hypothesis and indicate that spatial working memory representations compete for limited representational resources within the spatial maps that guide action.
Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.
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Data
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Data Availability Statement
The data presented in this study are openly available in OSF at https://
Reproduced under the paper's license (CC BY), from the paper cited above.
Versions
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Version 1, 27 September 2026: the first record
Recorded: type, language, journal, volume, issue, pages, dates, 3 authors, 5 keywords, 1 funder, 71 references.
Cite
This paper
McAteer, S. M., McGregor, A., & Smith, D. T. (2026). Eccentricity Constrains Spatial Working Memory Fidelity: Evidence for the Cortical Maps Hypothesis. Vision (Basel, Switzerland), 10(3), 44. https://
BibTeX
@article{mcateer2026ecce
author = {McAteer, Siobhan M and McGregor, Anthony and Smith, Daniel T},
title = {{Eccentricity Constrains Spatial Working Memory Fidelity: Evidence for the Cortical Maps Hypothesis}},
journal = {Vision (Basel, Switzerland)},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
volume = {10},
number = {3},
pages = {44},
publisher = {Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)},
issn = {2411-5150},
doi = {10.3390/
url = {https://
pmid = {42496489},
pmcid = {PMC13398193}
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
AU - McAteer, Siobhan M
AU - McGregor, Anthony
AU - Smith, Daniel T
TI - Eccentricity Constrains Spatial Working Memory Fidelity: Evidence for the Cortical Maps Hypothesis
T2 - Vision (Basel, Switzerland)
J2 - Vision (Basel)
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/
VL - 10
IS - 3
SP - 44
SN - 2411-5150
PB - Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute (MDPI)
DO - 10.3390/
UR - https://
LA - en
ER -
CSL-JSON
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