Process estimates of recollection and familiarity in working memory span tasks

Variation in working-memory capacity (WMC) predicts individual differences in only some attention-control capabilities. Whereas higher WMC subjects outperform lower WMC subjects in tasks requiring the restraint of prepotent but inappropriate responses, and the constraint of attentional focus to target stimuli against distractors, they do not differ in prototypical visual-search tasks, even those that yield steep search slopes and engender top-down control. The present three experiments tested whether WMC, as measured by complex memory span tasks, would predict search latencies when the 1–8 target locations to be searched appeared alone, versus appearing among distractor locations to be ignored, with the latter requiring selective attentional focus. Subjects viewed target-location cues and then fixated on those locations over either long (1,500–1,550 ms) or short (300 ms) delays. Higher WMC subjects identified targets faster than did lower WMC subjects only in the presence of distractors and only over long fixation delays. WMC thus appears to affect subjects’ ability to maintain a constrained attentional focus over time.

Download Full-text

The relation between the working memory skills of sign language interpreters and the quality of their interpretations

Bilingualism Language and Cognition ◽

10.1017/s1366728911000198 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 15 (2) ◽

pp. 340-350 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

RICK VAN DIJK ◽

INGRID CHRISTOFFELS ◽

ALBERT POSTMA ◽

DAAN HERMANS

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Sign Language ◽

Articulatory Suppression ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Memory Span ◽

Large Set ◽

Multiple Sources ◽

Sign Language Interpreters ◽

Span Tasks

In two experiments we investigated the relationship between the working memory skills of sign language interpreters and the quality of their interpretations. In Experiment 1, we found that scores on 3-back tasks with signs and words were not related to the quality of interpreted narratives. In Experiment 2, we found that memory span scores for words and signs under oral articulatory suppression were related to the quality of interpreted narratives. We argue that the insensitivity to articulatory suppression in memory span tasks reflects the interpreters' ability to bind information from multiple sources in episodic memory. This enhanced ability leads to less reliance on the retention of information from the source language in memory during interpreting, and will positively affect the quality of interpretations (Padilla, Bajo & Macizo, 2005). Finally, in contrast to previous studies on the memory spans for signs and words (Hall & Bavelier, 2010), we found that the memory spans scores for spoken words and signs were equally large. We argue that the use of a large set of phonologically complex stimuli in the present study may have stimulated participants to use a speech-based code to store and retain the signs in short-term memory.

Download Full-text

Distinction between Visuo-Spatial Short-Term-Memory and Working Memory Span Tasks

Swiss Journal of Psychology ◽

10.1024/1421-0185.65.1.37 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 65 (1) ◽

pp. 37-55 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Thierry Lecerf ◽

Jean-Luc Roulin

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Fluid Intelligence ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Memory Span ◽

Item Difficulty ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory ◽

Spatial Span ◽

Span Test ◽

Span Tasks

Six experiments are presented that examined the constraints underlying performance in two visuo-spatial span tasks. In the Location Span Test (LST), participants have to memorize the cells of a 5×5 matrix containing arrows, while in the Direction Span Test (DST) they have to memorize the cells pointed at by arrows. The main objective was to assess whether both tasks were similarly influenced by experimental factors. Results showed that performance improved with longer encoding time (1-s. vs. 3-s) only for the DST. Maintenance interval (0-s vs. 5-s) and order of item difficulty (ascending vs. descending) have no effect either on the LST or on the DST. Another experiment indicated that the DST is a better predictor of fluid intelligence. These results seem to provide evidence that the LST and the DST relate to different constructs. Implications of these findings for the distinction between short-term and working memory span tasks are discussed.

Download Full-text

Mathematics students demonstrate superior visuo-spatial working memory to humanities students under conditions of low central executive processing load

Journal of Numerical Cognition ◽

10.5964/jnc.v5i2.175 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 5 (2) ◽

pp. 189-219

Author(s):

Paula Jane Hubber ◽

Camilla Gilmore ◽

Lucy Cragg

Keyword(s):

Working Memory ◽

Mathematics Achievement ◽

Spatial Working Memory ◽

Memory Span ◽

Working Memory Capacity ◽

Memory Capacity ◽

Central Executive ◽

Mathematics Students ◽

Span Tasks ◽

Humanities Students

Previous research has demonstrated that working memory performance is linked to mathematics achievement. Most previous studies have involved children and arithmetic rather than more advanced forms of mathematics. This study compared the performance of groups of adult mathematics and humanities students. Experiment 1 employed verbal and visuo-spatial working memory span tasks using a novel face-matching processing element. Results showed that mathematics students had greater working memory capacity in the visuo-spatial domain only. Experiment 2 replicated this and demonstrated that neither visuo-spatial short-term memory nor endogenous spatial attention explained the visuo-spatial working memory differences. Experiment 3 used working memory span tasks with more traditional verbal or visuo-spatial processing elements to explore the effect of processing type. In this study mathematics students showed superior visuo-spatial working memory capacity only when the processing involved had a comparatively low level of central executive involvement. Both visuo-spatial working memory capacity and general visuo-spatial skills predicted mathematics achievement.

Download Full-text