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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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 22, 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

Is working memory training effective? A meta-analytic review.

Monica Melby-Lervåg1, Charles Hulme

  • 1Department of Special Needs Education, University ofOslo, Pb 1140 Blindern, 0318 Oslo, Norway. monica.melby-lervag@isp.uio.no

Developmental Psychology
|May 23, 2012
PubMed
Summary
This summary is machine-generated.

Working memory training shows short-term gains in specific skills for children and adults. However, these cognitive improvements do not generalize to other abilities or show lasting effects, questioning their clinical use.

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Last Updated: May 22, 2026

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Neuroscience
  • Developmental Psychology

Background:

  • Working memory training is proposed as a treatment for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and a cognitive enhancer for children and adults.
  • Existing research presents variable findings on the efficacy of these training programs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To systematically review and meta-analyze the effects of working memory training programs.
  • To assess the impact of training on working memory skills, near-transfer effects, and far-transfer effects in various populations.

Main Methods:

  • A meta-analytic review of randomized controlled trials and quasi-experiments.
  • Inclusion criteria required studies with treatment and control groups.
  • Twenty-three studies with 30 group comparisons were analyzed, including clinical and typically developing samples.

Main Results:

  • Working memory training programs yielded reliable short-term improvements in working memory skills.
  • Verbal working memory gains were not sustained at follow-up; visuospatial gains showed limited evidence of maintenance.
  • No convincing evidence of generalization to other cognitive skills (e.g., attention, arithmetic) was found.

Conclusions:

  • Working memory training programs demonstrate short-term, specific training effects.
  • These effects do not appear to generalize to broader cognitive abilities or academic skills.
  • The clinical relevance and utility of working memory training for enhancing cognitive functioning are questionable.