Related Experiment Video
Updated: Feb 16, 2026
07:01
Working Memory Training for Older Participants: A Control Group Training Regimen and Initial Intellectual Functioning Assessment
Published on: September 20, 2020
5.3K
Learning and transfer of working memory gating policies
Apoorva Bhandari1, David Badre2
1Cognitive, Linguistics, & Psychological Science, Brown University, Providence, USA.
Cognition
|December 16, 2017
Summary
Flexible task adaptation relies on abstract knowledge. This study shows that working memory (WM) gating policies, not just stimulus-response rules, transfer across contexts, enabling better task generalization.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Behavior
Background:
- Humans adapt to new tasks using abstract knowledge.
- Prior research focused on stimulus-response (S-R) mappings for task knowledge.
- The role of control policies in task generalization is less understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate if working memory (WM) gating policies represent abstract task knowledge.
- To determine if WM gating policies can transfer across different task contexts.
- To differentiate the transfer of WM gating policies from S-R mapping transfer.
Main Methods:
- Two experiments were conducted to test the transfer of WM gating policies.
- Participants performed tasks involving changes in context.
- Behavioral data were analyzed to assess policy transfer.
Main Results:
- Evidence for the transfer of selective WM gating policies across task context changes was found.
- This transfer was independent of shared S-R mapping structures.
- Transfer was linked to the dynamic structure of the task.
Conclusions:
- WM gating policies are a crucial form of abstract task knowledge.
- Control policies, like WM gating, are key to flexible behavior and task generalization.
- This research expands our understanding of how cognitive control supports adaptation.
More Related Videos
10:38A Cognitive Paradigm to Investigate Interference in Working Memory by Distractions and Interruptions
Published on: July 16, 2015
14.1K
14:24An Appetitive Spatial Working Memory Task for Mice in a Semi-Automated 8-Arm Radial Maze, Reducing Fearful Memory Association in the Maze
Published on: July 29, 2025
1.7K
Related Concept Videos
01:24Working Memory
966
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...
966
01:26Higher Mental Functions of Brain: Learning and Memory
2.2K
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...
2.2K
01:30Information Processing Approach
613
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...
613
01:14Role of Cerebellum and Prefrontal Cortex in Memory
1.3K
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...
1.3K
01:19Understanding Memory
1.6K
Memory is the retention of information or experiences over time, facilitated through three main processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is the process of inputting information into the memory system. For instance, when listening to a lecture, watching a play, reading a book, or having a conversation, the brain is actively encoding information. This initial stage involves transforming sensory input into a form that can be processed and stored by the brain. Various factors, such as...
1.6K
01:35Long-term Potentiation
58.8K
Long-term potentiation, or LTP, is one of the ways by which synaptic plasticity—changes in the strength of chemical synapses—can occur in the brain. LTP is the process of synaptic strengthening that occurs over time between pre- and postsynaptic neuronal connections. The synaptic strengthening of LTP works in opposition to the synaptic weakening of long-term depression (LTD) and together are the main mechanisms that underlie learning and memory.
58.8K