Iconic memory is a type of short-term visual memory that allows people to recall visual images for a few milliseconds after the image has disappeared. It's a fast-decaying store of visual information that's part of the visual memory system, which also includes visual short-term memory (VSTM) and long-term memory (LTM).
Here are some characteristics of iconic memory:
Brief: Iconic memory is very brief, lasting less than one second.
Automatic: Iconic memory is automatic, and is thought to be caused by the persistence of neural activity from the stimulus.
High capacity: Iconic memory can retain large amounts of visual information.
Rapid loss: Iconic memory rapidly loses information over time, which is often described as gradual decay or fading.
Reports back to the brain: Iconic memory gives the brain a chance to decide how to respond to the visual information it receives.
Helps explain phenomena: Iconic memory helps explain phenomena like change blindness and continuity of experience during saccades.
Some research suggests that attention is required to form iconic memories. Other research has investigated how variables like color can impact the accuracy of information recall from iconic memory.
