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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...

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Dec 13, 2025

Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments

Measuring Attention and Visual Processing Speed by Model-based Analysis of Temporal-order Judgments

Published on: January 23, 2017

Temporal attention is not affected by working memory load.

Theodore P Zanto¹, Helen Liu², Peter Pan²

¹Department of Neurology, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA; Neuroscape, University of California San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA.

Cortex; a Journal Devoted to the Study of the Nervous System and Behavior

|August 2, 2020

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

Working memory load does not impact temporal attention. However, prioritizing temporal attention during multitasking reduces working memory accuracy, suggesting a trade-off in divided attention.

Keywords:

Beta band Expectation Temporal attention Working memory load

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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

Area of Science:

Cognitive Neuroscience
Psychology

Background:

Temporal attention, crucial for cognitive function, enhances performance in tasks like target detection.
Previous research links temporal attention to working memory updating, but its effect by working memory storage availability remains unclear.

Purpose of the Study:

To investigate whether the availability of working memory stores affects temporal attention ability.
To explore the neural mechanisms, specifically posterior beta band activity, underlying the interplay between temporal attention and working memory load.

Main Methods:

A dual-task paradigm was employed, presenting participants with varying working memory loads (0, 3, or 6 digits) during a temporally cued visual discrimination task.
Electroencephalography (EEG) was used to measure posterior beta band (12-30 Hz) activity.

Main Results:

Working memory load did not significantly alter the ability to utilize predictive temporal cues in the visual discrimination task.
Posterior beta band activity showed distinct modulation patterns: decreasing before expected targets and increasing with working memory load.
Individuals with greater temporal attention-based beta activity modulation showed better discrimination but lower working memory accuracy.

Conclusions:

Available working memory stores do not directly impair temporal attention ability.
Performance costs in multitasking arise from limitations in divided attention, leading to task prioritization.
Posterior beta band activity may serve as an index for these divided attention trade-offs.