scholarly journals Retest effects in working memory capacity tests: A meta-analysis

2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (6) ◽  
pp. 2175-2199 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Scharfen ◽  
Katrin Jansen ◽  
Heinz Holling
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity

Bilingualism and working memory capacity: A comprehensive meta-analysis

2016 ◽  
Vol 33 (3) ◽  
pp. 325-340 ◽  
Author(s):  
John G Grundy ◽  
Kalinka Timmer
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Effect Size ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Age Groups ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Cognitive Outcomes ◽  
Conflict Monitoring ◽  
Bilingual Advantage ◽  
Language Variables

Bilinguals often outperform monolinguals on executive function tasks, including tasks that tap cognitive flexibility, conflict monitoring, and task-switching abilities. Some have suggested that bilinguals also have greater working memory capacity than comparable monolinguals, but evidence for this suggestion is mixed. We therefore conducted a comprehensive meta-analysis on the effects of bilingualism on working memory capacity. Results from 88 effect sizes, 27 independent studies, and 2,901 participants revealed a significant small to medium population effect size of 0.20 in favor of greater working memory capacity for bilinguals than monolinguals. This suggests that experience managing two languages that compete for selection results in greater working memory capacity over time. Moderator analyses revealed that largest effects were observed in children than other age groups. Furthermore, whether the task was performed in the first (L1) or second (L2) language for bilinguals moderated the effect size of the bilingual advantage; this factor is often overlooked and our results point to the importance of defining language variables that influence critical cognitive outcomes.

Is bilingualism associated with better working memory capacity? A meta-analysis

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-27
Author(s):  
Catherine Monnier ◽  
Julie Boiché ◽  
Pauline Armandon ◽  
Sophie Baudoin ◽  
Stéphanie Bellocchi
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity

Effects of modality preference and working memory capacity on captioned videos in enhancing L2 listening outcomes

ReCALL ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (2) ◽  
pp. 213-230
Author(s):  
Emily Fen Kam ◽  
Yeu-Ting Liu ◽  
Wen-Ta Tseng
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
L2 Learners ◽  
Visual Aid ◽  
Visual Learners ◽  
L2 Listening ◽  
Modality Preference ◽  
The Impact

AbstractCaptioned video is widely used to enhance second language (L2) learners’ exposure to oral input beyond the classroom setting, and captioning has been found to provide an instantaneous, useful visual aid for parsing and understanding L2 oral discourse. Nevertheless, a meta-analysis has shown that captioning exerts a selective effect on L2 learners with different profiles. This study investigated whether L2 learners’ modality preferences (visual vs. auditory) and working memory capacity (high vs. low) would modulate the effect of full captions on L2 listening outcome. Results from 60 participants revealed that both cognitive variables affected their L2 listening to different extents. Notably, working memory capacity modulates the impact of L2 learners’ preferred modality on their listening outcome. Modality preference did not exert any significant impact on the listening outcome of L2 learners with lower working memory capacity. For L2 learners with high working memory capacity, their modality preference played a pivotal role in modulating their listening outcome; in this case, auditory learners had the best listening performance viewing the video without captions, whereas visual learners did best when watching the captioned video. These findings speak to the need for taking individual differences into consideration when employing captioned videos.

scholarly journals The Cognitive and Academic Benefits of Cogmed: A Meta-Analysis

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
N Deniz Aksayli ◽  
Giovanni Sala ◽  
Fernand Gobet
Keyword(s):  
Academic Achievement ◽  
Working Memory ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Training ◽  
Far Transfer ◽  
Near Transfer ◽  
Academic Benefits ◽  
And Mathematics

Cogmed Working Memory Training (CWMT) is a commercial cognitive-training program designed to foster working-memory capacity. Enhanced working-memory capacity is then supposed to increase one’s overall cognitive function and academic achievement. This meta-analysis investigates the effects of CWMT on cognitive and academic outcomes. The inclusion criteria were met by 50 studies (637 effect sizes).Highly consistent near-zero effects were estimated in far-transfer measures of cognitive ability (e.g., attention and intelligence) and academic achievement (language ability and mathematics). By contrast, slightly heterogeneous small to medium effects were observed in memory tasks (i.e., near transfer). Moderator analysis showed that this effect was weaker for near-transfer measures not directly related to the trained tasks. These results highlight that while near transfer occurs regularly, far transfer is rare or, possibly, nonexistent. Transfer thus appears to be a function of the degree of overlap between trained tasks and outcome tasks.

Differential Effects of Executive Processes on Working Memory

2016 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 239-249
Author(s):  
Xuezhu Ren ◽  
Tengfei Wang ◽  
Karl Schweizer ◽  
Jing Guo
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Cognitive Processes ◽  
Latent Variable ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Attention Control ◽  
Executive Processes ◽  
Differential Effects ◽  
Prepotent Response ◽  
Two Measures

Abstract. Although attention control accounts for a unique portion of the variance in working memory capacity (WMC), the way in which attention control contributes to WMC has not been thoroughly specified. The current work focused on fractionating attention control into distinctly different executive processes and examined to what extent key processes of attention control including updating, shifting, and prepotent response inhibition were related to WMC and whether these relations were different. A number of 216 university students completed experimental tasks of attention control and two measures of WMC. Latent variable analyses were employed for separating and modeling each process and their effects on WMC. The results showed that both the accuracy of updating and shifting were substantially related to WMC while the link from the accuracy of inhibition to WMC was insignificant; on the other hand, only the speed of shifting had a moderate effect on WMC while neither the speed of updating nor the speed of inhibition showed significant effect on WMC. The results suggest that these key processes of attention control exhibit differential effects on individual differences in WMC. The approach that combined experimental manipulations and statistical modeling constitutes a promising way of investigating cognitive processes.

Working Memory Capacity and a Notorious Brain Teaser

2006 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 123-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wim De Neys ◽  
Niki Verschueren
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Secondary Task ◽  
Working Memory Capacity ◽  
Memory Capacity ◽  
Task Load ◽  
Normative Reasoning ◽  
Monty Hall Dilemma ◽  
Monty Hall ◽  
Memory Resources

Abstract. The Monty Hall Dilemma (MHD) is an intriguing example of the discrepancy between people’s intuitions and normative reasoning. This study examines whether the notorious difficulty of the MHD is associated with limitations in working memory resources. Experiment 1 and 2 examined the link between MHD reasoning and working memory capacity. Experiment 3 tested the role of working memory experimentally by burdening the executive resources with a secondary task. Results showed that participants who solved the MHD correctly had a significantly higher working memory capacity than erroneous responders. Correct responding also decreased under secondary task load. Findings indicate that working memory capacity plays a key role in overcoming salient intuitions and selecting the correct switching response during MHD reasoning.

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