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Yang TX, Allen RJ, Waterman AH, Graham AJ, Su XM, Gao Y. Exploring techniques for encoding spoken instructions in working memory: a comparison of verbal rehearsal, motor imagery, self-enactment and action observation. Memory 2024; 32:41-54. [PMID: 37910587 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2023.2273763] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/12/2023] [Accepted: 10/13/2023] [Indexed: 11/03/2023]
Abstract
Encoding and recalling spoken instructions is subject to working memory capacity limits. Previous research suggests action-based encoding facilitates instruction recall, but has not directly compared benefits across different types of action-based techniques. The current study addressed this in two experiments with young adults. In Experiment 1, participants listened to instructional sequences containing four action-object pairs, and encoded these instructions using either a motor imagery or verbal rehearsal technique, followed by recall via oral repetition or enactment. Memory for instructions was better when participants used a motor imagery technique during encoding, and when recalling the instructions by enactment. The advantage of using a motor imagery technique was present in both verbal and enacted recall. In Experiment 2, participants encoded spoken instructions whilst implementing one of four techniques (verbal rehearsal, motor imagery, observation of others' actions or self-enactment), and then recalled the instructions by oral repetition or enactment. For both verbal and enacted recall, memory for instructions was least accurate in the rehearsal condition, while the other encoding conditions did not differ from each other. These novel findings indicate similar benefits of imagining, observation and execution of actions in encoding spoken instructions, and enrich current understanding of action-based benefits in working memory.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Xiao Yang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | | | | | | | - Xiao-Min Su
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Gao
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
- Department of Psychology, The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
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Yang TX, Su XM, Allen RJ, Ye Z, Jia LX. Improving older adults' ability to follow instructions: benefits of actions at encoding and retrieval in working memory. Memory 2022; 30:610-620. [PMID: 35139752 DOI: 10.1080/09658211.2022.2035768] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
The ability to follow instructions is critical for learning new skills and may support successful aging. Recent evidence indicates a close link between following instructions and working memory, and that action-based processing at encoding and retrieval can improve this ability. In this study, we examined the ability to follow instructions and the benefits of action-based processing in young and older adults. In Experiment 1, participants were presented with spoken or silent demonstrated instructions, then recalled them by oral repetition or physical enactment. Older adults produced fewer correct responses in all conditions. Both age groups were better at recalling demonstrated than spoken instructions in the verbal but not the enacted recall condition. Older adults also benefited from enacted recall relative to verbal recall, but to a smaller extent than younger adults. In Experiment 2, the additional benefit of dual modalities (spoken instructions with simultaneous demonstration) relative to single modality presentation (spoken instructions, or silent demonstration) was examined. Both age groups showed superior performance in dual modality conditions relative to spoken instructions when using verbal recall. These findings suggest that although following instruction ability appears to decline with age, older adults can still benefit from action at encoding and retrieval.
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Affiliation(s)
- Tian-Xiao Yang
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiao-Min Su
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
| | | | - Zheng Ye
- Institute of Neuroscience, Center for Excellence in Brain Science and Intelligence Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai, People's Republic of China
| | - Lu-Xia Jia
- Neuropsychology and Applied Cognitive Neuroscience Laboratory, CAS Key Laboratory of Mental Health, Institute of Psychology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China.,Department of Psychology, The University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, People's Republic of China
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Li G, Allen RJ, Hitch GJ, Baddeley AD. EXPRESS: Translating words into actions in working memory: the role of spatial-motoric coding. Q J Exp Psychol (Hove) 2022; 75:1959-1975. [PMID: 35084263 PMCID: PMC9424718 DOI: 10.1177/17470218221079848] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
Research from a working memory perspective on the encoding and temporary
maintenance of sequential instructions has established a consistent advantage
for enacted over verbal recall. This is thought to reflect action planning for
anticipated movements at the response phase. We describe five experiments
investigating this, comparing verbal and enacted recall of a series of
action–object pairings under different potentially disruptive concurrent task
conditions, all requiring repetitive movements. A general advantage for enacted
recall was observed across experiments, together with a tendency for concurrent
action to impair sequence memory performance. The enacted recall advantage was
reduced by concurrent action for both fine and gross concurrent movement with
the degree of disruption influenced by both the complexity and the familiarity
of the movement. The results are discussed in terms of an output buffer store of
limited capacity capable of holding motoric plans for anticipated action.
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Affiliation(s)
- Guangzheng Li
- School of Education Science, Jiangsu Normal University, China 12675
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The Association between the Binding Processes of Working Memory and Vascular Risk Profile in Adults. Brain Sci 2021; 11:brainsci11091140. [PMID: 34573162 PMCID: PMC8467480 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci11091140] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/07/2021] [Revised: 08/23/2021] [Accepted: 08/26/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Episodic buffer (EB), a key component of working memory, seems to have a rather complicated function as part of binding processes. Recent papers on the field claim that binding processes of working memory (WM) are assisted by attention and executive functions. On the same page, vascular pathology is gaining more ground as the main underlying cause for many brain pathologies. Hypercholesterolemia, hypertension, obesity, diabetes, lack of exercise and smoking are the most common risk factors that people of all ages suffer from and constitute the main vascular risk factors responsible for a possible decline in executive functions and attention. Thus, this research is an attempt to examine the relation between the binding functions of WM and the existence of vascular risk factors via a computerized test focusing on feature binding. The study comprised adults (n = 229) with and without vascular risk factors. The main tools used were a biomarker questionnaire and a feature binding test (FBT). The results showed that participants who report suffering from one or more vascular risk factors had significantly lower performance on specific subtasks of the FBT in comparison to the participants who were healthy. This allows us to assume that there might be a positive association between feature binding and a vascular risk profile in adults, and such a test could be a useful diagnostic tool for early cognitive impairment due to incipient vascular pathology.
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