Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Working Memory01:24

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.
Information Processing Approach01:30

Information Processing Approach

The information-processing theory of cognitive development centers on fundamental mental processes, including attention, memory, and problem-solving skills. Researchers in this field examine how cognitive abilities, such as working memory, evolve and influence children's overall development. Studies indicate that children with stronger working memory tend to excel in reading comprehension, math, and problem-solving compared to peers with less efficient memory skills. Low working memory is also...
Language and Cognition01:27

Language and Cognition

Language serves as a bridge between ideas and communication, influencing how individuals perceive and interact with the world. Psychologists have long debated whether language shapes thought or vice versa. This discussion gained grip with Edward Sapir and Benjamin Lee Whorf in the 1940s, who proposed that language determines thought, a concept known as linguistic determinism. They suggested that the vocabulary and structure of a language influence how its speakers think and perceive reality.
Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory01:26

Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory

Memory is one of the most vital higher mental functions of the brain. Memory is closely related to learning because it enables us to retain information and experiences from our past to use them in our present life. It also helps us to remember facts, events, and skills, such as riding a bike or swimming. There are two types of memory — declarative memory, which involves memorizing facts or events, and procedural memory, which enables us to remember how to do something like writing or playing an...
Learning Disabilities01:25

Learning Disabilities

Learning disabilities are cognitive disorders caused by neurological impairments that affect cognitive functions like language and reading, without indicating overall intellectual or developmental challenges. These disabilities differ from global intellectual or developmental disabilities as they are limited to distinct cognitive functions. Common learning disabilities include dysgraphia, dyslexia, and dyscalculia, each of which impacts unique aspects of learning.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a...
Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory01:14

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

The cerebellum, while traditionally associated with motor control, also plays a crucial role in memory, particularly in procedural memory, which involves learning motor tasks that become automatic through repetition. For example, studies have shown that when the cerebellum is damaged, individuals or animals lose the ability to learn conditioned motor responses, such as the conditioned eye-blink response in classical conditioning experiments with rabbits. This study demonstrates the cerebellum's...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Sex-specific associations between reproductive history and late-life cognitive outcomes.

Journal of clinical and experimental neuropsychology·2026
Same author

Prevalence of Essential Tremor among Greeks Aged 65 Years or Older: Results from the HELIAD Study.

Neuroepidemiology·2026
Same author

Association between childhood war exposure and late-life cognition and incident MCI and dementia.

Journal of the International Neuropsychological Society : JINS·2025
Same author

Correction: Anxiety Symptoms Before and After Single-Incision Mini-Sling Surgery in Women With Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Prospective Study.

Cureus·2025
Same author

Anxiety Symptoms Before and After Single-Incision Mini-Sling Surgery in Women With Stress Urinary Incontinence: A Prospective Study.

Cureus·2025
Same author

Longitudinal Association of a Polygenic Risk Score for Plasma T-Tau With Incident Alzheimer Dementia and Mild Cognitive Impairment.

Neurology·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 30, 2026

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
07:01

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment

Published on: September 20, 2020

Literacy versus formal schooling: influence on working memory.

Mary H Kosmidis1, Maria Zafiri, Nina Politimou

  • 1School of Psychology, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece. kosmidis@psy.auth.gr

Archives of Clinical Neuropsychology : the Official Journal of the National Academy of Neuropsychologists
|August 4, 2011
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Literacy, not just schooling, impacts working memory performance. Illiterate individuals show deficits, but specific tests may be influenced by literacy skills, necessitating careful clinical assessment.

More Related Videos

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)
09:05

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)

Published on: June 12, 2017

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics (BM-PROMA)
10:58

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics (BM-PROMA)

Published on: August 28, 2021

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 30, 2026

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
07:01

Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment

Published on: September 20, 2020

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)
09:05

Assessing Working Memory in Children: The Comprehensive Assessment Battery for Children – Working Memory (CABC-WM)

Published on: June 12, 2017

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics (BM-PROMA)
10:58

Multimedia Battery for Assessment of Cognitive and Basic Skills in Mathematics (BM-PROMA)

Published on: August 28, 2021

Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Linguistics

Background:

  • Previous research indicates lower working memory performance in illiterate individuals compared to literate ones.
  • Working memory is closely linked to phonological processing, which literacy is known to enhance.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate working memory in illiterate individuals.
  • To determine if observed differences are due to testing artifacts, literacy itself, or formal schooling.
  • To explore the influence of literacy and education on working memory capacity.

Main Methods:

  • Comparison of working memory performance across four groups: illiterate, functionally illiterate, self-educated literate, and school-educated literate.
  • Utilized five distinct working memory tests to assess performance.
  • Examined performance variations across different literacy and educational backgrounds.

Main Results:

  • Illiterate groups generally performed worse than literate groups on most working memory tests.
  • Exceptions included the "Spatial Span" forward condition and "Remembering a New Route" test.
  • Literacy per se appears to be a significant factor in working memory differences, with formal schooling further enhancing these skills.

Conclusions:

  • Working memory performance is demonstrably affected by literacy.
  • Formal education plays a role in augmenting working memory abilities.
  • Clinical assessments for illiterate individuals should employ tools unaffected by literacy and schooling biases.