How we visually encode and remember our environment

Visual encoding and memory play pivotal roles in how humans and other animals interact with and understand their surroundings. These processes allow individuals to retain and process immense amounts of information about the environment, guiding navigation, decision-making, and behavior. The study of visual encoding and memory encompasses various aspects of neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and environmental psychology, aiming to elucidate how sensory input is transformed into memorable experiences (including non-explicit coding and retrieval of spaces and experiences). Recent advances in single and multi-cell neural activity studies, neuroimaging, and cognitive science have begun to unravel the complex interplay between sensory perception, cognitive processing, and memory storage, yet much remains to be discovered about the precise mechanisms that underlie these fundamental abilities. Comparative work across species, including studies in non-human mammals and invertebrates, continues to play a valuable role in identifying both conserved principles and species-specific adaptations in visual encoding and memory.

The goal of this Research Topic is to deepen our understanding of the mechanisms by which humans and other animals visually encode and recall environmental information. This involves exploring the neural and cognitive processes that underpin visual perception and memory formation, examining how brain injuries such as stroke, spatial neglect, etc., environmental variables and personal experiences shape memory accuracy and visual recollection fidelity, and applying these insights to improve navigational tools, educational materials, and virtual environments. By addressing these areas, the research seeks to contribute both to theoretical knowledge and practical applications in visual memory.

This Research Topic welcomes contributions that explore a variety of themes related to how we visually encode and remember our environment, including but not limited to:

This Research Topic welcomes contributions that explore a variety of themes related to how we visually encode and remember our environment, including but not limited to:

- The cognitive and neural mechanisms of visual encoding and memory retrieval.

- Studies describing functional and/or mechanistic aspects of spatial or associative learning derived from visual experience.
The impact of brain injuries, environmental factors, and personal experiences on visual memory.

- Technological and methodological innovations in the measurement and enhancement of visual memory.

- Cross-disciplinary perspectives that integrate findings from psychology, neuroscience, and environmental studies.

- Studies originating from non-human mammalian species and invertebrates, to uncover comparative and evolutionarily conserved mechanisms in visual encoding and spatial memory.

We encourage submissions of original research, review articles, brief reports, and methodological papers that offer new insights into these areas.