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A processing approach to the working memory/long-term memory distinction: evidence from the levels-of-processing span
Nathan S Rose1, Fergus I M Craik
1Rotman Research Institute of Baycrest, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. nrose@rotman-baycrest.on.ca
Journal of Experimental Psychology. Learning, Memory, and Cognition
|January 25, 2012
Summary
Working memory (WM) tasks may involve long-term memory (LTM) retrieval. This study found that deeper processing benefits LTM recall, but only under specific conditions in WM tasks, depending on maintenance disruption.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Memory Research
Background:
- Recent theories propose working memory (WM) performance relies on long-term memory (LTM) retrieval.
- Investigating shared principles between WM and LTM is crucial for understanding memory.
- The levels-of-processing paradigm is a well-established method for studying LTM.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine if the levels-of-processing paradigm, effective for LTM, also applies to WM tasks.
- To explore the relationship between processing depth and recall in WM.
- To identify conditions influencing the similarity of processing effects between WM and LTM.
Main Methods:
- Administered Craik and Tulving's (1975) levels-of-processing paradigm within a WM task.
- Participants made judgments (uppercase, rhyme, category) on words.
- Immediate word recall was tested after 3 or 8 processing judgments.
Main Results:
- Experiment 1: Immediate recall showed no levels-of-processing effect; delayed recognition (LTM) did.
- Experiment 2: Surprise immediate recall of 8-item lists revealed a levels-of-processing effect.
- Findings suggest processing effects in WM depend on disruption to active maintenance.
Conclusions:
- Levels-of-processing effects can be observed in WM tasks, but are sensitive to experimental conditions.
- The similarity between WM and LTM processing effects hinges on the degree of interference with active maintenance.
- This research advances a processing account for understanding memory phenomena across WM and LTM.
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