Working Memory Influences on Long-Term Memory and Comprehension

Abstract

This project was conducted with the aim of understanding the role of working memory in the comprehension and long-term retention of event-specific information. This study looked at how comprehension and memory processing at the mental model level is related to traditional measures of working memory capacity, including the word span, reading span, operation span, and spatial span tests. Issues of particular interest were the ability to remember event descriptions, the detection and memory of functional relations, the detection of inconsistencies, sensitivity to causal connectivity, and memory for surface form, textbase and situation specific content. Although traditional working memory span measures were related to a few of our tests, the relation was primarily confined to the textbase level of processing. There was little evidence that traditional measures of working memory span were directly related to processing at the mental model level.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Jan 01, 2004
Accession Number
ADA419467

Entities

People

  • Gabriel A. Radvansky

Organizations

  • University of Notre Dame

Tags

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Accuracy
  • Cognition
  • Cognitive Science
  • Comprehension
  • Correlation Analysis
  • Detection
  • Educational Psychology
  • False Alarms
  • Identification
  • Language
  • Linguistics
  • Psychology
  • Recognition
  • Regression Analysis
  • Sensitivity
  • Social Sciences
  • Thinking

Fields of Study

  • Psychology

Readers

  • Artificial Intelligence
  • Psychometric Testing or Psychological Assessment.