Time sharing in working memory processing

Pierre Barrouillet*, Valérie Camos, Takehiro Minamoto, Satoru Nishiyama, Weng Tink Chooi, Aiko Morita, Robert H. Logie, Satoru Saito

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Although working memory (WM) is usually defined as a cognitive system coordinating processing and storage in the short term, in most WM models, memory aspects have been developed more fully than processing systems, and many studies of WM tasks have tended to focus on memory performance. The present study investigated WM functioning without focusing exclusively on short-term memory performance by presenting participants with an n-back task on letters, n varying from 0 to 2, each letter being followed by a tone discrimination task involving from one to three tones. Predictions regarding the reciprocal effects of these tasks on each other were motivated by the time-based resource-sharing (TBRS) theoretical framework for WM that assumes the temporal sharing of attention between processing and memory. Although, as predicted, increasing the n value had a detrimental effect on tone discrimination in terms of accuracy and response times, and increasing the number of tones disrupted speed and accuracy on n-back performance, the overall pattern of results did not perfectly fit the TBRS predictions. Nonetheless, the main alternative models of WM do not seem to offer a complete account. The present findings point toward the need to use a larger range of tasks and situations in designing and testing models of WM.
Original languageEnglish
JournalJournal of Experimental Psychology: Learning, Memory, and Cognition
Early online date12 Jun 2023
DOIs
Publication statusE-pub ahead of print - 12 Jun 2023

Keywords / Materials (for Non-textual outputs)

  • working memory
  • time sharing
  • processing

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