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Related Concept Videos

Working Memory01:24

Working Memory

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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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Temporal dynamics analysis reveals that concurrent working memory load eliminates the Stroop effect through

Yafen Li1, Yixuan Lin2, Qing Li3

  • 1School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China.

Elife
|May 2, 2025
PubMed
Summary

Concurrent verbal working memory tasks eliminate the Stroop effect by disrupting stimulus-response mapping. This study used electroencephalography (EEG) to show how working memory impacts conflict processing stages.

Keywords:
Stroop effectelectroencephalographyhumanmultivariate pattern analysisneuroscienceworking memory

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Neuroscience
  • Psychology

Background:

  • The Stroop effect, a measure of selective attention and cognitive control, is typically observed as interference in naming the color of a word when the word itself denotes a different color.
  • Previous theories suggested that concurrent tasks deplete cognitive resources, thereby reducing or eliminating interference effects like the Stroop effect.
  • However, the specific neural mechanisms and processing stages affected by working memory load during Stroop task performance remain incompletely understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the neural mechanisms underlying the elimination of the Stroop effect when combined with a concurrent verbal working memory task.
  • To determine which specific stages of Stroop conflict processing are modulated by working memory load.
  • To elucidate the role of stimulus-response mapping in the interaction between working memory and cognitive conflict.

Main Methods:

  • Electroencephalography (EEG) recordings were employed to analyze event-related potentials (ERPs), time-frequency dynamics, multivariate pattern analyses (MVPAs), and representational similarity analyses (RSAs).
  • Participants performed both a single Stroop task and a dual task combining the Stroop task with the Sternberg working memory task.
  • Behavioral data and EEG signals were analyzed to compare conflict processing under different cognitive loads.

Main Results:

  • Behaviorally, the Stroop effect was significantly reduced or eliminated in the dual-task condition compared to the single-task condition.
  • EEG analysis revealed that while early sensory components (P1) and some mid-latency components (N450, alpha bands) were unaffected, later components (sustained potential, late theta, beta bands) showed significant modulation.
  • Representational Similarity Analysis (RSA) indicated that the neural patterns in the late theta band during the dual task mirrored response interaction patterns, suggesting a disruption in stimulus-response mapping.

Conclusions:

  • Concurrent verbal working memory tasks effectively eliminate the Stroop effect.
  • The elimination of the Stroop effect appears to be mediated by a disruption in the stimulus-response mapping stage of cognitive processing, rather than early sensory or attentional stages.
  • These findings provide crucial insights into the interplay between working memory, cognitive control, and conflict resolution in the human brain.