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Working Memory

Working Memory

Working memory refers to a combination of components, including short-term memory and attention, that allow an individual to hold information temporarily as we perform cognitive tasks. It is an essential cognitive function that enables the execution of complex tasks such as problem-solving, comprehension, and reasoning. Unlike short-term memory, which simply involves the storage of information for a brief period, working memory involves the active manipulation and processing of this information.

Forgetting

Forgetting

Forgetting is an intrinsic aspect of human memory, characterized by the gradual loss or inaccessibility of information over time. Hermann Ebbinghaus, a pioneering psychologist, extensively studied this phenomenon and formulated the forgetting curve. This curve illustrates that memory loss occurs rapidly immediately after learning and then decelerates over time. Several mechanisms contribute to forgetting, including encoding failure, storage decay, retrieval failure, and interference.
Encoding...

Interference and Decay

Interference and Decay

Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...

Reason and Intuition

Reason and Intuition

The human brain processes information for decision-making using one of two routes: an intuitive system and a rational system (Epstein, 1994; popularized by Kahneman, 2011 as System 1 and System 2, respectively). The intuitive system is quick, impulsive, and operates with minimal effort, relying on emotions or habits to provide cues for what to do next, while the rational system is logical, analytical, deliberate, and methodical. Research in neuropsychology suggests that the brain can only use...

Chunking and Rehearsal in Sensory Memory

Chunking and Rehearsal in Sensory Memory

Improving short-term memory can be achieved through techniques like chunking and rehearsal. Chunking involves organizing information into larger, more manageable units. This technique is particularly useful for information that exceeds the typical memory span of between five and nine items. For instance, logging into an online account with a password like "ta89vq0179gz" involves grouping letters and numbers into three chunks—ta89, vq01, and 79gz. It makes large amounts of information more...

Reasoning

Reasoning

Reasoning is the action of thinking about something in a logical, sensible way. It is integral to problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking. Reasoning can be inductive or deductive. Reasoning involves transforming information into conclusions, which is essential for problem-solving, decision-making, and critical thinking.
Inductive reasoning involves deriving generalizations from specific observations. This type of reasoning helps form beliefs about the world. For example,...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

Published on: July 16, 2015

Exploring the forgetting mechanisms in working memory: evidence from a reasoning span test.

Satoru Saito¹, Christopher Jarrold, Deborah M Riby

¹Department of Cognitive Psychology in Education, Graduate School ofEducation, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan. S.Saito@mbox.kudpc.kyoto-u.ac.jp

Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (2006)

|December 6, 2008

Summary

Working memory span scores are influenced by the order of processing tasks. Complex tasks first improve performance, suggesting time-based forgetting impacts working memory.

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Last Updated: Jun 27, 2026

A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions

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Published on: July 16, 2015

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Exploring the Role of Deontic Reasoning and World Knowledge in Wason´s Selection Task

Published on: July 22, 2025

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience

Background:

Working memory (WM) span tests require simultaneous information maintenance and processing.
Previous research indicates stimulus order affects WM span scores, with longer initial processing tasks yielding higher scores.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the stimulus order effect in reasoning span tests.
To determine if processing duration or complexity drives the observed order effect.

Main Methods:

Experiment 1 used reasoning span tests with sentences varying in complexity but equated for word count.
Experiment 2 employed a computer-paced moving window to control processing duration while varying sentence complexity.

Main Results:

A stimulus order effect was found in Experiment 1, favoring complex-to-simple sentence sequences.
This effect disappeared in Experiment 2 when processing duration was constant, irrespective of complexity.

Conclusions:

Duration-based constraints, not just processing load, influence forgetting in WM span tasks.
Time-related forgetting is a significant factor, especially when processing difficulty impedes active maintenance.