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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 19, 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

Taboo: working memory and mental control in an interactive task.

Whitney A Hansen¹, Stephen D Goldinger

¹Department of Psychology, Arizona State University, Tempe, Arizona 85287-1104, USA. Whitney.Hansen@asu.edu

The American Journal of Psychology

|October 16, 2009

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Working memory (WM) capacity influences mental control. Higher WM spans correlate with better performance in tasks requiring information management and error suppression, even in group settings like the game Taboo.

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Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Neuroscience

Background:

Individual differences in working memory (WM) capacity are linked to variations in reasoning, memory, and response times.
A key theoretical function of WM is maintaining task-relevant information while inhibiting irrelevant stimuli.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the relationship between working memory capacity and mental control.
To utilize the game Taboo as a novel measure for assessing mental control in an interactive group context.

Main Methods:

Participants' working memory capacity was assessed.
Performance was measured using indices such as perseveration errors (repeating information) and taboo errors (using forbidden words).
The study involved an easy control condition to examine specific error types.

Main Results:

Higher working memory span participants generally outperformed lower-span participants.
High-span individuals demonstrated superior guessing abilities and were more effective in guiding teammates.
Participants with higher WM spans committed fewer perseveration errors and taboo errors, particularly in the control condition.

Conclusions:

Working memory capacity is a significant predictor of mental control abilities.
These findings extend to interactive, group-based tasks, suggesting WM's broad influence on cognitive control.