A new index of semantic short-term memory: Development and validation of the conceptual span task in Spanish

I compare the concepts of “activation” and “storage” as foundations of short-term memory, and suggest that an attention-based view of STM does not need to posit specialized short-term stores. In particular, no compelling evidence supports the hypothesis of time-limited stores. Identifying sources of activation, examining the role of activated procedural knowledge, and studying working memory development are central issues in modelling capacity-limited focal attention.

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A bilingual advantage in memory capacity: Assessing the roles of proficiency, number of languages acquired and age of acquisition

10.31234/osf.io/jfq6s ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Ezequiel Martin Durand López

Keyword(s):

Short Term Memory ◽

Age Of Acquisition ◽

Memory Capacity ◽

Span Task ◽

Visuospatial Memory ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory ◽

Bilingual Advantage ◽

Different Types ◽

L2 Learners

This study examines whether different types of bilingualism modulate memory capacity differently. More specifically, the study assesses the effects of age of acquisition, number of languages acquired and proficiency in the L2 on phonological short-term memory, visuospatial memory and semantic memory.DesignMemory capacity was measured by means of three tasks: digit span task (phonological short-term memory), Corsi block task (visuospatial memory) and word span task (semantic memory). Participants were divided into five groups based on the number of languages acquired, age of acquisition and proficiency: monolinguals, intermediate L2 learners, advanced L2 learners, simultaneous bilinguals and multilinguals.Data and analysisAnalyses of variance were used to analyze participants’ scores for each of the memory tasks.Findings and conclusionsFor the word span task, no significant differences were found among the groups, which supports the notion that semantic memory is language independent. Furthermore, intermediate and advanced L2 learners and multilinguals presented significantly higher phonological short-term memory spans compared to simultaneous bilinguals. Finally, intermediate L2 learners and multilinguals significantly outperformed monolinguals on visuospatial memory spans. Results suggest that L2 acquisition might strengthen both visuospatial and phonological short-term memory, which in turn tend to improve as L2 proficiency increases.OriginalityWhile previous studies have provided evidence of a bilingual advantage in memory capacity, these studies have generally grouped different types of bilinguals together (e.g., L2 leaners and heritage speakers). This study takes a step forward by examining differences on memory capacity across different types of bilinguals and in comparison to their monolingual peers in order to better understand the cognitive effects of bilingualism.Significance and implicationsWhen considering age of acquisition, number of languages acquired and proficiency as grouping factors, different effects of bilingualism on memory capacity can be observed. Future studies on this matter should include bilingual participants that are comparable with regard to the aforementioned variables.

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Orienting Attention Within Visual Short-Term Memory: Development and Mechanisms

Child Development ◽

10.1111/cdev.12150 ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 85 (2) ◽

pp. 578-592 ◽

Cited By ~ 38

Author(s):

Andria Shimi ◽

Anna C. Nobre ◽

Duncan Astle ◽

Gaia Scerif

Keyword(s):

Short Term Memory ◽

Memory Development ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory ◽

Visual Short Term Memory

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Children's Serial Recall Errors: Implications for Theories of Short-Term Memory Development

Journal of Experimental Child Psychology ◽

10.1006/jecp.1999.2550 ◽

2000 ◽

Vol 76 (3) ◽

pp. 222-252 ◽

Cited By ~ 29

Author(s):

Teresa McCormack ◽

Gordon D.A. Brown ◽

Janet I. Vousden ◽

Richard N.A. Henson

Keyword(s):

Serial Recall ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Memory Development ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory

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Capacity limitations in short-term memory in schizophrenia: tests of competing hypotheses

Psychological Medicine ◽

10.1017/s0033291797006429 ◽

1998 ◽

Vol 28 (3) ◽

pp. 665-673 ◽

Cited By ~ 41

Author(s):

T. E. GOLDBERG ◽

K. J. PATTERSON ◽

Y. TAQQU ◽

K. WILDER

Keyword(s):

Verbal Memory ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Digit Span ◽

Span Task ◽

Short Term ◽

Interference Task ◽

Term Memory ◽

Capacity Limitation ◽

Set Size ◽

Normal Controls

Background. Capacity limitation theories have proved to be surprisingly resilient in characterizing some of the cognitive deficits in schizophrenia. However, this perspective has not generally been applied to short-term verbal memory tasks. We explored this issue by first attempting to ascertain if gross misallocations of processing resources might explain impairments in short-term memory in schizophrenia on a classic digit span task and in a second study by attempting to determine what effects delay and memory set size had on a divided attention short-term verbal memory paradigm.Methods. In the first study 16 patients with schizophrenia and 21 normal controls received 40 trials of a three digit task and 20 trials of a six digit span task. As the absolute number of digits presented and duration of presentation in two conditions were identical, subjects thus had equivalent ‘opportunities’ to make errors if distraction, in the sense of misallocation of cognitive resources, were at the root of poor performance. In the second study 15 patients with schizophrenia and 15 normal controls were tested in conditions in which two, four or six words were presented and in which rehearsal was prevented by an interference task (colour naming) for delays of 5, 10 or 15 s.Results. Patients had disproportionate difficulty on the six digit rather than the three digit condition, suggesting that deficits in the verbal working memory short-term store may not be the result of attentional factors. In the second study, patients' performance was differentially worsened by the interference task, by memory set size (i.e. a capacity limitation) and by delay, a measure of decay rate.Conclusions. In concert, these studies demonstrate that schizophrenia patients have difficulties on verbal short-term memory span tasks not because of misallocation of resources, but rather because of limitations in ‘representational capacity’ and maintenance of information over delays.

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Short-Term Memory Development in Childhood and Adolescence

Springer Series in Cognitive Development - Basic Processes in Memory Development ◽

10.1007/978-1-4613-9541-6_5 ◽

1985 ◽

pp. 209-248 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

Frank N. Dempster

Keyword(s):

Short Term Memory ◽

Childhood And Adolescence ◽

Memory Development ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory

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Short-Term Memory: Mode of Presentation for Alphanumeric Information

Human Factors The Journal of the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society ◽

10.1177/001872086901100412 ◽

1969 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 401-405 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

James C. Fell ◽

Kenneth R. Laughery

Keyword(s):

Mixed Mode ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Memory Span ◽

Presentation Rate ◽

Presentation Mode ◽

The Other ◽

Span Task ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory ◽

Mode Of Presentation

Performance in a memory-span task using eight-letter sequences was explored as a function of presentation rate (.5, .75, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 sec/item) and presentation mode (visual, auditory, simultaneous visual and auditory, and mixed visual and auditory). Results indicate that performance in the mixed mode was inferior to the other three modes, but the other modes did not differ from each other. As presentation rate decreased, performance improved. These results are consistent with current theories of memory and indicate that the mode in which alphanumeric information is displayed is unimportant provided the modes are not mixed.

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A bilingual advantage in memory capacity: Assessing the roles of proficiency, number of languages acquired and age of acquisition

International Journal of Bilingualism ◽

10.1177/1367006920965714 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. 136700692096571

Author(s):

Ezequiel M. Durand López

Keyword(s):

Semantic Memory ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Age Of Acquisition ◽

Memory Capacity ◽

Span Task ◽

Visuospatial Memory ◽

Short Term ◽

Term Memory ◽

Different Types ◽

L2 Learners

Aims and objectives: This study examines whether different types of bilingualism modulate memory capacity differently. More specifically, the study assesses the effects of age of acquisition, number of languages acquired and proficiency in the second language (L2) on phonological short-term memory, visuospatial memory and semantic memory. Design: Memory capacity was measured by means of three tasks: the digit span task (phonological short-term memory); the Corsi block task (visuospatial memory); and the word span task (semantic memory). Participants were divided into five groups based on the number of languages acquired, age of acquisition and proficiency: monolinguals, intermediate L2 learners, advanced L2 learners, simultaneous bilinguals and multilinguals. Data and analysis: Analyses of variance were used to analyze participants’ scores for each of the memory tasks. Findings and conclusions: For the word span task, no significant differences were found among the groups, which supports the notion that semantic memory is language independent. Furthermore, intermediate and advanced L2 learners and multilinguals presented significantly higher phonological short-term memory spans compared to simultaneous bilinguals. Finally, intermediate L2 learners and multilinguals significantly outperformed monolinguals on visuospatial memory spans. Results suggest that L2 acquisition might strengthen both visuospatial and phonological short-term memory, which in turn tend to improve as L2 proficiency increases. Originality: While previous studies have provided evidence of a bilingual advantage in memory capacity, these studies have generally grouped different types of bilinguals together (e.g., L2 leaners and heritage speakers). This study takes a step forward by examining differences in memory capacity across different types of bilinguals and in comparison to their monolingual peers in order to better understand the cognitive effects of bilingualism. Significance and implications: When considering age of acquisition, number of languages acquired and proficiency as grouping factors, different effects of bilingualism on memory capacity can be observed. Future studies on this matter should include bilingual participants that are comparable with regard to the aforementioned variables.

Download Full-text