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Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
Published on: September 20, 2020
Validating running memory span: measurement of working memory capacity and links with fluid intelligence
James M Broadway1, Randall W Engle
1School of Psychology, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, Georgia 30332, USA. jbroadway@gatech.edu
Behavior Research Methods
|May 19, 2010
Summary
Running memory span tasks effectively measure working memory capacity. These tasks predict higher-order cognitive abilities, showing consistent validity across different experimental conditions.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Working memory capacity is crucial for higher-order cognition.
- Running memory span tasks are used to assess working memory.
Purpose of the Study:
- To examine how manipulating running memory span tasks affects recall.
- To investigate the relationship between running memory span and measures of working memory capacity and fluid intelligence.
Main Methods:
- Experiment 1: Manipulated presentation rate (slow vs. fast).
- Experiment 2: Manipulated information about the number of items to report (precue vs. postcue).
- Assessed recall performance and correlations with criterion measures.
Main Results:
- Recall was higher at slower presentation rates.
- Presentation rate and cuing conditions did not significantly alter correlations with criterion measures.
- Running memory span demonstrated consistent predictive validity.
Conclusions:
- Running memory span tasks provide a valid measure of working memory capacity.
- This measure is predictive of higher-order cognitive functions, including fluid intelligence.
- Task manipulations did not compromise the validity of running memory span measures.
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