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Korem N, Cohen LD, Rubinsten O. The link between math anxiety and performance does not depend on working memory: A network analysis study. Conscious Cogn 2022; 100:103298. [PMID: 35217396 DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2022.103298] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2021] [Revised: 02/07/2022] [Accepted: 02/08/2022] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Math anxiety (MA) and working memory (WM) influence math performance. Yet the interplay between them is not fully understood. Inconsistent results possibly stem from the multicomponent structure of math performance and WM. Using network analysis approach, we investigated the drivers of the MA, WM and math performance edges, and the contribution of each node to the network. First, 116 women completed a battery of tests and questionnaires. Second, we explored the generalizability of our model by applying it to a new data-set (Skagerlund et al., 2019; conceptual replication). The results revealed: (1) the links between MA and WM depend on specific task properties, specifically, WM tasks that require manipulation of numbers; (2) WM and MA are independently linked to math performance; and (3) each WM task is associated with different math abilities. The study provides a strong and reliable model showing the direct effects of math anxiety on math performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Nachshon Korem
- Department of Psychiatry, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA; Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Israel.
| | - Lital Daches Cohen
- Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Israel; Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Israel
| | - Orly Rubinsten
- Edmond J. Safra Brain Research Center for the Study of Learning Disabilities, Israel; Department of Learning Disabilities, University of Haifa, Israel
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2
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Barbosa‐Pereira D, Martins PSR, Ferreira‐Junior LA, da Costa MFA, Paixão JPC, Costa RR, Saldanha‐Silva R, Mansur‐Alves M. Is Working Memory Training efficient? Effects on
IQ
and school performance in Brazilian children. APPLIED COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2022. [DOI: 10.1002/acp.3921] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/08/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Drielle Barbosa‐Pereira
- Federal University of Minas Gerais (Department of Psychology), Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) Brazil
| | - Pedro S. R. Martins
- Federal University of Minas Gerais (Department of Psychology), Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) Brazil
| | | | | | - Janaína Paula Chaves Paixão
- Federal University of Minas Gerais (Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering), Belo Horizonte, (Minas Gerais) Brazil
| | - Renato Ramalho Costa
- Federal University of Minas Gerais (Graduate Program in Electrical Engineering), Belo Horizonte, (Minas Gerais) Brazil
| | - Renata Saldanha‐Silva
- Faculdade de Ciências Médicas of Minas Gerais (Department of Psychology), Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) Brazil
| | - Marcela Mansur‐Alves
- Federal University of Minas Gerais (Department of Psychology), Belo Horizonte (Minas Gerais) Brazil
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3
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Lücke AJ, Wrzus C, Gerstorf D, Kunzmann U, Katzorreck M, Schmiedek F, Hoppmann C, Schilling OK. Between-person and within-person associations of sleep and working-memory in the everyday lives of old and very old adults: initial level, learning, and variability. Sleep 2021; 45:6433636. [PMID: 34922403 DOI: 10.1093/sleep/zsab279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/21/2021] [Revised: 11/16/2021] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
STUDY OBJECTIVES Sleep duration affects various aspects of cognitive performance, such as working-memory and learning, among children and adults. However, it remains open, whether similar or even stronger associations exist in old and very old age when changes in sleep and cognitive decrements are common. METHODS Using repeated daily-life assessments from a sample of 121 young-old (66-69 years old) and 39 old-old adults (84-90 years old), we assessed links between sleep duration and different aspects of working-memory (initial level, practice-related learning, and residualized variability) between and within persons. Participants reported their sleep durations every morning and performed a numerical working-memory updating task six times a day for seven consecutive days. RESULTS Both people who slept longer and those who slept shorter than the sample average showed lower initial performance levels, but a stronger increase of WM over time (i.e. larger learning effects), relative to people with average sleep. Sleep duration did not predict performance variability. Within-person associations were found for people sleeping relatively little on average: For them, working-memory performance was lower on days with shorter than average sleep, yet higher on days with longer than average sleep. Except for lower initial levels of working-memory in old-old adults, no differences between young-old and old-old adults were observed. CONCLUSION We conclude that sufficient sleep remains important for working-memory performance in older adults and that it is relevant to include different aspects of working-memory performance, because effects differed for initial performance and learning.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anna J Lücke
- Institute of Psychology, Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Cornelia Wrzus
- Institute of Psychology, Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Denis Gerstorf
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Ute Kunzmann
- Institute of Psychology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Martin Katzorreck
- Department of Psychology, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany.,Institute of Psychology, University of Leipzig, Leipzig, Germany
| | - Florian Schmiedek
- DIPF
- Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
| | | | - Oliver K Schilling
- Institute of Psychology, Ruprecht Karls University Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
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Bayramova R, Toffalini E, Bonato M, Grassi M. Auditory selective attention under working memory load. PSYCHOLOGICAL RESEARCH 2020; 85:2667-2681. [PMID: 33146781 PMCID: PMC8440250 DOI: 10.1007/s00426-020-01437-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/30/2020] [Accepted: 10/09/2020] [Indexed: 10/31/2022]
Abstract
Can cognitive load enhance concentration on task-relevant information and help filter out distractors? Most of the prior research in the area of selective attention has focused on visual attention or cross-modal distraction and has yielded controversial results. Here, we studied whether working memory load can facilitate selective attention when both target and distractor stimuli are auditory. We used a letter n-back task with four levels of working memory load and two levels of distraction: congruent and incongruent distractors. This combination of updating and inhibition tasks allowed us to manipulate working memory load within the selective attention task. Participants sat in front of three loudspeakers and were asked to attend to the letter presented from the central loudspeaker while ignoring that presented from the flanking ones (spoken by a different person), which could be the same letter as the central one (congruent) or a different (incongruent) letter. Their task was to respond whether or not the central letter matched the letter presented n (0, 1, 2, or 3) trials back. Distraction was measured in terms of the difference in reaction time and accuracy on trials with incongruent versus congruent flankers. We found reduced interference from incongruent flankers in 2- and 3-back conditions compared to 0- and 1-back conditions, whereby higher working memory load almost negated the effect of incongruent flankers. These results suggest that high load on verbal working memory can facilitate inhibition of distractors in the auditory domain rather than make it more difficult as sometimes claimed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rena Bayramova
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, Padua, Italy
| | - Enrico Toffalini
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, Padua, Italy
| | - Mario Bonato
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, Padua, Italy.
| | - Massimo Grassi
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Via Venezia, 8, Padua, Italy
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Kelly DP, Beltz AM. Capturing Fluctuations in Gendered Cognition With Novel Intensive Longitudinal Measures. Assessment 2020; 28:1813-1827. [PMID: 33106024 DOI: 10.1177/1073191120952888] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
Abstract
Cognition is often assumed to be stable, but compelling evidence shows that some skills (e.g., working memory) vary. There is limited investigation, however, of variation in gendered cognition, such as spatial skills and verbal recall, potentially because there are no validated measures for intensive longitudinal assessment. The goal of this study was to introduce and validate new 75-occasion measures of three-dimensional mental rotations and delayed paired verbal recall. This was accomplished by studying cognitive fluctuations over 75 days in an intensive longitudinal study of 121 participants, focusing on 54 (27 women) who were matched for gender, age, and language. Results from psychometric analyses suggest that both measures show parallel forms reliability, including expected gender differences, and validity (i.e., performance with respect to a standard measure or item difficulty), although results are more consistent for mental rotations than verbal recall. Results also suggest there are significant daily fluctuations in both mental rotations and verbal recall. Findings encourage future clinical work on the antecedents and consequences of cognitive fluctuations with the newly developed, freely available measures.
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McCabe JA, Redick TS, Engle RW. Brain-Training Pessimism, but Applied-Memory Optimism. Psychol Sci Public Interest 2020; 17:187-191. [PMID: 27697852 DOI: 10.1177/1529100616664716] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022]
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Cirino PT, Miciak J, Ahmed Y, Barnes MA, Taylor WP, Gerst EH. Executive Function: Association with Multiple Reading Skills. READING AND WRITING 2019; 32:1819-1846. [PMID: 31680727 PMCID: PMC6824553 DOI: 10.1007/s11145-018-9923-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
Executive function (EF) is related to reading. However, there is a lack of clarity around (a) the relative contribution of different components of EF to different reading components (word reading, fluency, comprehension), and (b) how EF operates in the context of known strong language predictors (e.g., components of the Simple View of Reading or SVR), and other skills theoretically related to reading (e.g., vocabulary, processing speed) and/or to EF (e.g., short-term memory, motor function). In a large sample of 3rd to 5th graders oversampled for struggling readers, this paper evaluates the impact of EF derived from a bifactor model (Cirino, Ahmed, Miciak, Taylor, Gerst, & Barnes, 2018) in the context of well-known covariates and demographics. Beyond common EF, five specific factors (two related to working memory, and factors of fluency, self-regulated learning, and behavioral inattention/metacognition) were addressed. EF consistently showed a unique contribution to already-strong predictive models for all reading outcomes; for reading comprehension, EF interacted with SVR indices (word reading and listening comprehension). The findings extend and refine our understanding of the contribution of EF to reading skill.
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Dopamine D2 agonist affects visuospatial working memory distractor interference depending on individual differences in baseline working memory span. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2019; 18:509-520. [PMID: 29569219 DOI: 10.3758/s13415-018-0584-6] [Citation(s) in RCA: 18] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/25/2023]
Abstract
The interplay of dopaminergic striatal D1-D2 circuits is thought to support working memory (WM) by selectively filtering information that is to be remembered versus information to be ignored. To test this theory, we conducted an experiment in which healthy participants performed a visuospatial working memory (VSWM) task after ingesting the D2-receptor agonist cabergoline (or placebo), in a randomized, double-blinded, crossover design. Results showed greater interference from distractors under cabergoline, particularly for individuals with higher baseline dopamine (indicated by WM span). These findings support computational theories of striatal D1-D2 function during WM encoding and distractor-filtering, and provide new evidence for interactive cortico-striatal systems that support VSWM capacity and their dependence on WM span.
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A daytime nap enhances visual working memory performance and alters event-related delay activity. COGNITIVE AFFECTIVE & BEHAVIORAL NEUROSCIENCE 2018; 18:1105-1120. [DOI: 10.3758/s13415-018-0625-1] [Citation(s) in RCA: 15] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/07/2023]
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10
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Blasiman RN, Was CA. Why Is Working Memory Performance Unstable? A Review of 21 Factors. EUROPES JOURNAL OF PSYCHOLOGY 2018; 14:188-231. [PMID: 29899806 PMCID: PMC5973525 DOI: 10.5964/ejop.v14i1.1472] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/31/2017] [Accepted: 08/25/2017] [Indexed: 01/05/2023]
Abstract
In this paper, we systematically reviewed twenty-one factors that have been shown to either vary with or influence performance on working memory (WM) tasks. Specifically, we review previous work on the influence of intelligence, gender, age, personality, mental illnesses/medical conditions, dieting, craving, stress/anxiety, emotion/motivation, stereotype threat, temperature, mindfulness training, practice, bilingualism, musical training, altitude/hypoxia, sleep, exercise, diet, psychoactive substances, and brain stimulation on WM performance. In addition to a review of the literature, we suggest several frameworks for classifying these factors, identify shared mechanisms between several variables, and suggest areas requiring further investigation. This review critically examines the breadth of research investigating WM while synthesizing the results across related subfields in psychology.
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Measuring Attentional Control Ability or Beliefs? Evaluation of the Factor Structure and Convergent Validity of the Attentional Control Scale. JOURNAL OF PSYCHOPATHOLOGY AND BEHAVIORAL ASSESSMENT 2017. [DOI: 10.1007/s10862-017-9617-7] [Citation(s) in RCA: 21] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
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12
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Faber NS, Häusser JA, Kerr NL. Sleep Deprivation Impairs and Caffeine Enhances My Performance, but Not Always Our Performance. PERSONALITY AND SOCIAL PSYCHOLOGY REVIEW 2017; 21:3-28. [PMID: 26468077 PMCID: PMC5302073 DOI: 10.1177/1088868315609487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
What effects do factors that impair or enhance performance in individuals have when these individuals act in groups? We provide a framework, called the GIE ("Effects of Grouping on Impairments and Enhancements") framework, for investigating this question. As prominent examples for individual-level impairments and enhancements, we discuss sleep deprivation and caffeine. Based on previous research, we derive hypotheses on how they influence performance in groups, specifically process gains and losses in motivation, individual capability, and coordination. We conclude that the effect an impairment or enhancement has on individual-level performance is not necessarily mirrored in group performance: grouping can help or hurt. We provide recommendations on how to estimate empirically the effects individual-level performance impairments and enhancements have in groups. By comparing sleep deprivation to stress and caffeine to pharmacological cognitive enhancement, we illustrate that we cannot readily generalize from group results on one impairment or enhancement to another, even if they have similar effects on individual-level performance.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Norbert L. Kerr
- Michigan State University, East Lansing, USA
- University of Kent, Canterbury, UK
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13
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Wagner IC, van Buuren M, Bovy L, Morris RG, Fernández G. Methylphenidate during early consolidation affects long-term associative memory retrieval depending on baseline catecholamines. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2017; 234:657-669. [PMID: 28013352 PMCID: PMC5263224 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-016-4502-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/13/2016] [Accepted: 12/05/2016] [Indexed: 12/03/2022]
Abstract
RATIONALE Synaptic memory consolidation is thought to rely on catecholaminergic signaling. Eventually, it is followed by systems consolidation, which embeds memories in a neocortical network. Although this sequence was demonstrated in rodents, it is unclear how catecholamines affect memory consolidation in humans. OBJECTIVES Here, we tested the effects of catecholaminergic modulation on synaptic and subsequent systems consolidation. We expected enhanced memory performance and increased neocortical engagement during delayed retrieval. Additionally, we tested if this effect was modulated by individual differences in a cognitive proxy measure of baseline catecholamine synthesis capacity. METHODS Fifty-three healthy males underwent a between-subjects, double-blind, placebo-controlled procedure across 2 days. On day 1, subjects studied and retrieved object-location associations and received 20 mg of methylphenidate or placebo. Drug intake was timed so that methylphenidate was expected to affect early consolidation but not encoding or retrieval. Memory was tested again while subjects were scanned three days later. RESULTS Methylphenidate did not facilitate memory performance, and there was no significant group difference in activation during delayed retrieval. However, memory representations differed between groups depending on baseline catecholamines. The placebo group showed increased activation in occipito-temporal regions but decreased connectivity with the hippocampus, associated with lower baseline catecholamine synthesis capacity. The methylphenidate group showed stronger activation in the postcentral gyrus, associated with higher baseline catecholamine synthesis capacity. CONCLUSIONS Altogether, methylphenidate during early consolidation did not foster long-term memory performance, but it affected retrieval-related neural processes depending on individual levels of baseline catecholamines.
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Affiliation(s)
- Isabella C Wagner
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands.
| | - Mariët van Buuren
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Leonore Bovy
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands
| | - Richard G Morris
- Centre for Cognitive and Neural Systems, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, EH8 9JZ, UK
| | - Guillén Fernández
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behaviour, Radboud University Nijmegen Medical Center, Kapittelweg 29, Nijmegen, 6525 EN, The Netherlands
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Abstract
Substantial evidence suggests that individual differences in estimates of working memory capacity reflect differences in how effectively people use their intrinsic storage capacity. This suggests that estimated capacity could be increased by instructions that encourage more effective encoding strategies. The present study tested this by giving different participants explicit strategy instructions in a change detection task. Compared to a condition in which participants were simply told to do their best, we found that estimated capacity was increased for participants who were instructed to remember the entire visual display, even at set sizes beyond their capacity. However, no increase in estimated capacity was found for a group that was told to focus on a subset of the items in supracapacity arrays. This finding confirms the hypothesis that encoding strategies may influence visual working memory performance, and it is contrary to the hypothesis that the optimal strategy is to filter out any items beyond the storage capacity.
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15
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Adams H, Kleider-Offutt HM, Bell D, Washburn DA. The effects of prayer on attention resource availability and attention bias. RELIGION, BRAIN & BEHAVIOR 2016; 7:117-133. [PMID: 30761218 PMCID: PMC6369522 DOI: 10.1080/2153599x.2016.1206612] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/09/2023]
Abstract
Two experiments were used to measure the effects of prayer, contemplation, or a control activity on attention resource capacity and attention bias. Results from a dual-task test in Experiment 1 indicated that allowing participants to pray about an issue in their lives improved subsequent task performance, but only for individuals who score highly on a measure of religiosity. Experiment 2 suggested that praying about a problem can bias attention in a word-search task. Similar effects were not observed for control activities. Thus, at least for people most likely to engage in religious behavior, praying about a problem appeared to liberate cognitive resources that are presumably otherwise consumed by worry and rumination, leaving individuals better able to process other information, and additionally to bias attention to favor detection of problem-relevant information. These effects suggest one cognitive process (attention) that may underlie how people come to perceive answers to prayers.
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Affiliation(s)
- Holly Adams
- Department of Psychology, Georgia State University
| | | | - David Bell
- Department of Religious Studies, Georgia State University
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16
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Banks JB, Boals A. Understanding the role of mind wandering in stress-related working memory impairments. Cogn Emot 2016; 31:1023-1030. [DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2016.1179174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Jonathan B. Banks
- College of Psychology, Nova Southeastern University, Fort Lauderdale, FL, USA
| | - Adriel Boals
- Department of Psychology, University of North Texas, Denton, TX, USAD
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17
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Martin A, Bagdasarov Z, Connelly S. The capacity for ethical decisions: the relationship between working memory and ethical decision making. SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING ETHICS 2015; 21:271-292. [PMID: 24744116 DOI: 10.1007/s11948-014-9544-x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2013] [Accepted: 04/07/2014] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Although various models of ethical decision making (EDM) have implicitly called upon constructs governed by working memory capacity (WMC), a study examining this relationship specifically has not been conducted. Using a sense making framework of EDM, we examined the relationship between WMC and various sensemaking processes contributing to EDM. Participants completed an online assessment comprised of a demographic survey, intelligence test, various EDM measures, and the Automated Operation Span task to determine WMC. Results indicated that WMC accounted for unique variance above and beyond ethics education, exposure to ethical issues, and intelligence in several sensemaking processes. Additionally, a marginally significant effect of WMC was also found with reference to EDM. Individual differences in WMC appear likely to play an important role in the ethical decision-making process, and future researchers may wish to consider their potential influences.
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Affiliation(s)
- April Martin
- Department of Psychology, University of Oklahoma, 455 W. Lindsey St., Dale Hall Tower, Room 705, Norman, OK, 73019, USA,
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18
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Trezise K, Reeve RA. Worry and working memory influence each other iteratively over time. Cogn Emot 2015; 30:353-68. [DOI: 10.1080/02699931.2014.1002755] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/24/2022]
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Gulbinaite R, van Rijn H, Cohen MX. Fronto-parietal network oscillations reveal relationship between working memory capacity and cognitive control. Front Hum Neurosci 2014; 8:761. [PMID: 25324759 PMCID: PMC4179713 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2014.00761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2014] [Accepted: 09/09/2014] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Executive-attention theory proposes a close relationship between working memory capacity (WMC) and cognitive control abilities. However, conflicting results are documented in the literature, with some studies reporting that individual variations in WMC predict differences in cognitive control and trial-to-trial control adjustments (operationalized as the size of the congruency effect and congruency sequence effects, respectively), while others report no WMC-related differences. We hypothesized that brain network dynamics might be a more sensitive measure of WMC-related differences in cognitive control abilities. Thus, in the present study, we measured human EEG during the Simon task to characterize WMC-related differences in the neural dynamics of conflict processing and adaptation to conflict. Although high- and low-WMC individuals did not differ behaviorally, there were substantial WMC-related differences in theta (4–8 Hz) and delta (1–3 Hz) connectivity in fronto-parietal networks. Group differences in local theta and delta power were relatively less pronounced. These results suggest that the relationship between WMC and cognitive control abilities is more strongly reflected in large-scale oscillatory network dynamics than in spatially localized activity or in behavioral task performance.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rasa Gulbinaite
- Experimental Psychology Department, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Hedderik van Rijn
- Experimental Psychology Department, University of Groningen Groningen, Netherlands
| | - Michael X Cohen
- Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam Amsterdam, Netherlands
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Wright CA, Dobson KS, Sears CR. Does a high working memory capacity attenuate the negative impact of trait anxiety on attentional control? Evidence from the antisaccade task. JOURNAL OF COGNITIVE PSYCHOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1080/20445911.2014.901331] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/25/2022]
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Abstract
The ability to suppress distractors is critical for the successful completion of goal-oriented behaviors. This is particularly true for everyday behaviors that take time to accomplish and are frequently interrupted by unpredicted events (e.g., spotting a sale on a favorite drink while searching a grocery store for an apple). For one to continue with the intended goal, attention to the distractor must be reactively suppressed (i.e., terminated) so that the goal-oriented behavior may resume. Such reactive suppression can be contrasted with a proactive mechanism that anticipates the appearance of a distractor and suppresses related sensory processing in advance. In this review, I consider three aspects of distractor suppression: (a) the distinction between proactive and reactive mechanisms, (b) the conditions under which reactive distractor rejection can be rapid, and (c) the neural and cognitive processes necessary for controlling proactive and reactive distractor suppression.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joy J. Geng
- Center for Mind and Brain and Department of Psychology, University of California, Davis
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22
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Matthews G, Warm JS, Shaw TH, Finomore VS. Predicting battlefield vigilance: a multivariate approach to assessment of attentional resources. ERGONOMICS 2014; 57:856-875. [PMID: 24678837 DOI: 10.1080/00140139.2014.899630] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/03/2023]
Abstract
Technological innovation increasingly requires operators in various applied settings to maintain vigilance for extended periods. However, standard psychometric tests typically predict less than 10% of performance variance. The present study (N = 462) aimed to apply the resource theory of sustained attention to construct a multivariate test battery for predicting battlefield vigilance. The battery included cognitive ability tests, a high-workload short vigilance task and subjective measures of stress response. Four versions of a 60- min simulated military battlefield monitoring task were constructed to represent different operational requirements. The test battery predicted 24-44% of criterion variance, depending on task version, suggesting that it may identify vigilant operators in military and other applied contexts. A multiple-groups path analysis showed that relationships between ability and vigilance were moderated by working memory demands. Findings are consistent with a diffuse theoretical concept of 'resources' in which performance energisation depends on multiple, loosely coupled processes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerald Matthews
- a Institute of Simulation and Training , University of Central Florida , Orlando , FL , USA
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Sörqvist P, Hurtig A, Ljung R, Rönnberg J. High second-language proficiency protects against the effects of reverberation on listening comprehension. Scand J Psychol 2014; 55:91-6. [PMID: 24646043 PMCID: PMC4211359 DOI: 10.1111/sjop.12115] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/20/2013] [Accepted: 01/16/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
The purpose of this experiment was to investigate whether classroom reverberation influences second-language (L2) listening comprehension. Moreover, we investigated whether individual differences in baseline L2 proficiency and in working memory capacity (WMC) modulate the effect of reverberation time on L2 listening comprehension. The results showed that L2 listening comprehension decreased as reverberation time increased. Participants with higher baseline L2 proficiency were less susceptible to this effect. WMC was also related to the effect of reverberation (although just barely significant), but the effect of WMC was eliminated when baseline L2 proficiency was statistically controlled. Taken together, the results suggest that top-down cognitive capabilities support listening in adverse conditions. Potential implications for the Swedish national tests in English are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Patrik Sörqvist
- Department of Building, Energy and Environmental Engineering, University of Gävle, Gävle, Sweden; Linnaeus Centre HEAD, Swedish Institute for Disability Research, Linköping University, Linköping, Sweden
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Mojzisch A, Krumm S, Schultze T. Do High Working Memory Groups Perform Better? JOURNAL OF PERSONNEL PSYCHOLOGY 2014. [DOI: 10.1027/1866-5888/a000111] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/23/2022]
Abstract
A growing body of research shows that individual differences in working memory capacity play a pivotal role for a large number of higher order cognitive tasks. Surprisingly, however, the impact of individual differences in working memory capacity on group performance has received little attention. In this conceptual article, we focus on three typical group tasks (group idea generation, group decision making, group judgment) and, for each task, provide an analysis of how individual differences in working memory capacity might affect group performance. Our key idea is that group interaction is a cognitively demanding task as group members have to continuously monitor the ongoing conversation, hold their ideas in memory, integrate the information put forth by others, and update their mental representations accordingly. Therefore, individual differences in working memory capacity are presumed to have a profound impact on how people process information during group interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Stefan Krumm
- Institute of Psychology, Free University Berlin, Germany
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25
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Harrison TL, Shipstead Z, Hicks KL, Hambrick DZ, Redick TS, Engle RW. Working memory training may increase working memory capacity but not fluid intelligence. Psychol Sci 2013; 24:2409-19. [PMID: 24091548 DOI: 10.1177/0956797613492984] [Citation(s) in RCA: 208] [Impact Index Per Article: 18.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Working memory is a critical element of complex cognition, particularly under conditions of distraction and interference. Measures of working memory capacity correlate positively with many measures of real-world cognition, including fluid intelligence. There have been numerous attempts to use training procedures to increase working memory capacity and thereby performance on the real-world tasks that rely on working memory capacity. In the study reported here, we demonstrated that training on complex working memory span tasks leads to improvement on similar tasks with different materials but that such training does not generalize to measures of fluid intelligence.
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