Iconic memory or icon? - 5
everyday experience (Sperling 1960). More specifically, the artificial nature of an
experimental task used to test a theoretical notion does not have any bearing on its
ecological validity. (Julesz's 1983 commentary also presents a positive argument as
to how the use of an artificial task may enhance our understanding of how vision works.)
Summary and conclusion. Haber is not successful in purging the hypothetical iconic
store for some theoretical and meta-theoretical reasons. However, Haber's target article is
useful because we are reminded of the meagre theoretical advance in our understanding
of the hypothetical mechanism. We have not advanced beyond the statement that the
content of the iconic store is sensory or precategorical in nature. It is complacency on
our part to assume that the iconic store is passive or automatic.
References
Adelson, E. H. (1983) What is iconic storage good for? Behavioral and Brain Sciences,
6:11-12.
Allik, J. be Bachmann, T. (1983) How bad is the icon? Behavioral and Brain Sciences,
6;12-13.
Boynton, R. M. (1983) On "raw perception" of the "stimulus itself" Behavioral and Brain
Sciences, 6:15.
Breitmeyer, B. C. (1983) Icon as visual persistence: Alive and well. Behavioral and
Brain Sciences, 6:15-16.
Clark, S. E. (1969) Retrieval of colour information from preperceptual memory. Journal
of Experimental Psychology, 82:263-66.
Coltheart, M. (1980). Iconic memory and visible persistence. Perception &
Psychophysics, 27:240-47,
Coltheart, M. (1983) Ecological necessity of iconic memory. Behavioral and Brain
Sciences, 6:17-18.
Cohen, S. (1983) Icons: To see or not to see. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 6:18-19.
Eriksen, C. W. & Collins, J. F. (1967) Some temporal characteristics of visual pattern
perception. Journal of Experimental Psychology, 74:476-84.
Feigl, H. (1970) The "orthodox" view of theories: Remarks in defense as well as critique.
In: Analysis of theories and methods of physics and psychology. Minnesota
studies in the philosophy of science, vol. 9, ed. M. Radner & S. Winokur.
University of Minnesota Press.
Haber, R. N., ed. (1969) Information processing approaches to visual perception. Holt,
Rinehart & Winston.
Haber, R. N. (1971) Where are the visions in visual perception? In: Imagery: Current
cognitive approaches, ed. S. J. Segal. Academic Press.
Haber, R. N. (1993r) The icon is finally dead. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 6:43-50.
Haber, R. N. & Hershenson, M. (1980) The psychology of visual perception, 2nd ed.
Holt, Rinehart & Winston.
Haber, R. N., & Standing, L. G. (1969) Direct measures of short-term visual storage.
Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology 21:43-54.
Hauske, G., Wolf, W. & Deubel, H. (1983) The dependence of perception on persisting
images and "icons." Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 6:21-22.