Children's working memory: investigating performance limitations in complex span tasks.

Juliet A Conlin; Susan E Gathercole; John W Adams

doi:10.1016/j.jecp.2004.12.001

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Children's working memory: investigating performance limitations in complex span tasks.

Juliet A Conlin·Susan E Gathercole·John W Adams

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Abstract

Three experiments investigated the roles of resource-sharing and intrinsic memory demands in complex working memory span performance in 7- and 9-year-olds. In Experiment 1, the processing complexity of arithmetic operations was varied under conditions in which processing times were equivalent. Memory span did not differ as a function of processing complexity. In Experiment 2, complex memory span was assessed under three conditions designed to vary both processing and intrinsic storage demands: mental arithmetic (significant attentional demands-requires storage), odd/even judgments (significant attentional demands-no storage required), and articulatory suppression (minimal attentional demands--no storage required). The highest memory spans were found in the articulatory suppression task. Span was at an intermediate level with arithmetic processing and was lowest for processing involving odd/even judgments. This difference in memory span for processing tasks involving arithmetic processing and odd/even judgments was eliminated in Experiment 3 when the pacing requirements of the arithmetic and odd/even processing tasks were equated. The results are consistent with the view that complex memory span performance is disrupted by processing activities that divert attentional resources from storage.

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Child Cognition Female Humans Judgment Male Mathematics Memory Journal Article Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

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Juliet A Conlin, Susan E Gathercole, John W Adams. 2005-01-22. Children's working memory: investigating performance limitations in complex span tasks.. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jecp.2004.12.001

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