Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Information Processing Approach

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...

Working Memory

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.

Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory

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...

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

Cognitive Enhancers: Cholinesterase Inhibitors and NMDA Receptor Antagonists

Cognitive enhancers, also known as "smart drugs," are substances used to enhance memory, mental alertness, and concentration. These can be natural or synthetic and improve cognition in conditions like Alzheimer's disease (AD) and other neurodegenerative diseases. Some common examples include caffeine, amphetamines, methylphenidate, modafinil, arecoline, donepezil, vortioxetine, and piracetam. These enhancers work on the principle of synaptic plasticity and altered circuit function. They...

Interference and Decay

Interference and Decay

Forgetting is a complex cognitive phenomenon influenced by several factors, among which interference and decay are particularly prominent. These processes explain why individuals often struggle to retrieve specific information from memory, leading to lapses in recall that can be observed in everyday situations.
Interference occurs when competing memories hinder the retrieval of particular information. It can be classified into two types: proactive and retroactive interference. Proactive...

High-Level and Low-Level Awareness

High-Level and Low-Level Awareness

Controlled processes in human consciousness represent high-alert mental states where individuals deliberately focus their attention on achieving specific goals. Controlled processes can be seen in situations like mastering new technology, where a person might become so absorbed that they ignore surrounding distractions. Such processes involve selective attention, requiring one to concentrate on particular elements of experience while disregarding others. These are governed by executive...

You might also read

Related Articles

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

Sort by

Same author

Uncovering the relationship between working memory and performance in the Jigsaw classroom.

PloS one·2025

Same author

A qualitative and quantitative study of radical pro-environmental social change as anticipated future loss and threat: A gender perspective.

The British journal of social psychology·2025

Same author

Gendered attitudes towards pro-environmental change: The role of hegemonic masculinity endorsement, dominance and threat.

The British journal of social psychology·2024

Same author

Imagining a better world: assessing the immediate and delayed effects of imagined contact on attitudes toward refugees in elementary school.

Frontiers in psychology·2024

Same author

Supportive error feedback fosters students' adaptive reactions towards errors: Evidence from a targeted online intervention with Italian middle school students.

The British journal of educational psychology·2024

Same author

Achievement Goals: A Social Influence Cycle.

Annual review of psychology·2023

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 19, 2026

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

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

Published on: September 20, 2020

Performance-approach goals deplete working memory and impair cognitive performance.

Marie Crouzevialle¹, Fabrizio Butera

¹Institut des Sciences Sociales, Université de Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.

Journal of Experimental Psychology. General

|August 29, 2012

Summary

Performance-approach goals, the drive to outperform others, can hinder cognitive performance. This occurs because the pressure to succeed depletes working memory resources needed for demanding tasks.

More Related Videos

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

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Published on: January 24, 2020

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 19, 2026

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

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

Published on: September 20, 2020

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

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Highlighting and Reducing the Impact of Negative Aging Stereotypes During Older Adults' Cognitive Testing

Published on: January 24, 2020

Area of Science:

Cognitive Psychology
Educational Psychology

Background:

Longitudinal studies link performance-approach goals to academic success.
The impact of these goals on pure cognitive performance remains unclear due to potential confounding behaviors like cheating.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate the direct effect of performance-approach goals on cognitive performance.
To determine if the pressure to outperform depletes cognitive resources.

Main Methods:

Three laboratory experiments were conducted.
Participants engaged in demanding cognitive tasks under manipulated performance-approach goal conditions.
Working memory capacity and task performance were assessed.

Main Results:

Performance-approach goal manipulation significantly hampered cognitive task performance.
This interference was mediated by distractive concerns that consumed verbal working memory resources.
The negative impact was directly linked to the activation of performance-approach goal-related thoughts.

Conclusions:

Performance-approach goals can negatively impact cognitive performance by dividing cognitive resources.
The drive to demonstrate ability and outperform others creates internal distractions that impair task execution.
Understanding this trade-off is crucial for optimizing learning and cognitive functioning.