The Effect of Working Memory Updating Ability on Spatial Insight Problem Solving: Evidence From Behavior and Eye Movement Studies

Multisensory training based on an APP for enhanced verbal working memory in older adults

With the increasing aging population, contemporary society faces the imperative to develop approaches that efficiently delay the age-related decline in working memory capacity, which is a critical area within cognitive aging research. Nevertheless, there is insufficient evidence to support the efficacy of verbal working memory training across various sensory modalities (visual, auditory, and audiovisual) in enhancing the verbal working memory capacity of older adults. In this study, 60 healthy older adults (mean age = 67.07 ± 3.79 years, comprising 34 women and 26 men, mean education = 15.55 ± 2.53 years) were randomly assigned to one of four groups: visual verbal working memory (V-VWM) group, auditory verbal working memory (A-VWM) group, visual-auditory verbal working memory (VA-VWM) group, and a control group. The training duration spanned 12 days. We also investigated whether baseline level and education predicted the outcomes. Findings indicated that V-VWM training had a large effect on improving V-VWM task performance (Cohen's d = 1.765), A-VWM training showed a substantial effect on A-VWM task performance (Cohen's d = 1.904), and VA-VWM training demonstrated a significant effect on VA-VWM task performance (Cohen's d = 2.319) over pretest scores in older adults. Enhancements achieved through V-VWM training exhibited near transfer effects, improving performance in both A-VWM and VA-VWM tasks. In contrast, gains from A-VWM training were selectively transferred to the VA-VWM task. Furthermore, VA-VWM training led to improvements not only in V-VWM and A-VWM tasks but also extended to verbal operation span task with a significant 29.7 % increase. However, no significant transfer effects were observed for the DSF and DSB tasks across the three training groups. The maintenance effect of VA-VWM training persisted for two weeks across tasks involving VA-VWM, V-VWM, and A-VWM. The baseline of VWM span score influence the effect of V-VWM training and transfer effect of VA-VWM training. Education level did not predict the training effects of V-VWM, A-VWM, and VA-VWM. These findings highlight the nuanced effects of sensory-specific verbal working memory training in older adults, emphasizing the potential of tailored interventions to enhance specific aspects of cognitive function, while also highlighting the promising applications of mobile device training in enhancing cognitive skills among the elderly.

Tracing executive functions in insight

Usually the central executive is considered as a single capacity in the insight studies which leads to inconsistent results on the link between the central executive of working memory and insight. We suppose a more detailed view on the process of insight solution in which various executive functions could be important at different solution stages: updating is necessary to build a problem's representation, inhibition-to overcome the impasse, shifting-to restructure the problem's representation. These assumptions were not confirmed in an experiment via dual-task paradigm and cognitive load. We did not find the relation between executive functions and solution stages, but we demonstrated that the more complexity of dual-task, the more cognitive load in problem solving. Moreover, the highest load of executive functions is observed at the end of insight solution. We speculate that the loading occurs either due to decrease of the free space in working memory storage systems, or due to a resource-intensive event (for example, representational change).

Relationship between psycho-physiological indicators and task performance under various indoor space designs for telecommuting environment by introducing mixed-reality

The increase in telecommuting during COVID-19 and advances in digital technology have necessitated the establishment of guidelines for maximizing productivity through indoor space design for telecommuters. Additionally, understanding the physiological response of individuals working in indoor spaces has attracted attention. This study applied mixed-reality environment to alter the design of the indoor space in real-time, while monitoring the task performance and representative psycho-physiological indicators (electroencephalogram and heart rate variability) of 30 individuals with telecommuting experience. To this end, four tasks, including spatial memory, attention, execution, and working memory, were conducted, and the psycho-physiological data from these tests were statistically analyzed. The results revealed that the design of the indoor space did not affect the spatial memory; however, the parasympathetic nerves were stimulated in visually non-preferred spaces, thus reducing mental stress and leading to high efficiency in short-term work. According to the Yerkes-Dodson law, the working memory of an individual is generally efficient and physically stable over time if they adjust to a preferred or decision-making space. Thus, the future design of telecommuting spaces must consider the type of work being done, and guidelines for spatial design should be developed by recognizing the psycho-physiological status of users, while increasing efficiency.

Childhood Maltreatment and Creativity among Chinese College Students: A Serial Mediation Model

Creativity plays a very crucial impact on our cultural life and has also been important to the improvement of human civilization. Numerous studies have indicated that family circumstance plays an important role in the development of individual creativity. However, little is known about the mediating mechanisms underlying the association between childhood maltreatment and creativity. This study intended to explore the serial multiple mediation model in which undergraduates' cognitive flexibility and self-efficacy were proposed to mediate the potential influence of childhood maltreatment on their creativity. Participants were 1069 undergraduates (573 males and 496 females, mean age was 20.57 ± 1.24 years ranging from 17 to 24) from a university in Shandong Province, China. Participants were required to complete an internet survey including the Short Form of Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ-SF), General Self-Efficacy Scale (GSES), Cognitive Flexibility Inventory (CFI), and Williams Creativity Aptitude Test (WCAT). Serial multiple mediation analysis and the bootstrap method were used to investigate the mediation effects of cognitive flexibility and self-efficacy. The results showed that childhood maltreatment indirectly influenced undergraduates' creativity through three indirect paths: childhood maltreatment→cognitive flexibility→creativity, childhood maltreatment→self-efficacy→creativity, and childhood maltreatment→cognitive flexibility→self-efficacy→creativity. The ratios of the total indirect effects and branch-indirect effects to the total effects were 92.73%, 34.61%, 35.68%, and 22.44%, respectively. These results indicated that cognitive flexibility and self-efficacy could completely mediate the potential impact of childhood maltreatment on individuals creativity.