Implicit temporal tuning of working memory strategy during cognitive skill acquisition.

Full Abstract

Complex cognitive tasks such as multiple-step arithmetic entail strategies for coordinating mental processes such as calculation with processes for managing working memory (WM). Such strategies must be sensitive to factors such as the time needed for calculation. In 2 experiments we tested whether people can learn the timing constraints on WM demands when those constraints are implicitly imposed. We varied the retention period for intermediate results using the well-known digit size effect:
The larger the operands, the longer it takes to perform addition. During learning participants practiced multiple-step arithmetic routines combined with large or small digits. At transfer, they performed both practiced and novel combinations. Practice performance was affected by digit size and WM demands. However, the transfer performance was not fully explained by the digit size effect or the practice effect. We argue that participants acquired temporal tuning of the WM strategy to the implicit retention interval imposed by the digit size and kept using the tuning mode to unpracticed data set.

Learn Faster Today Improve your study skills

Author information

Author/s: Sohn, Myeong-Ho (MH); Carlson, Richard A (RA);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, Carnegie-Mellon University, Pittsburgh, PA 15213, USA. mhsohn(-atsign-)andrew.cmu.edu

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: The American journal of psychology (Am J Psychol), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2003-; vol 116 (issue 2) : pp 239-56

Dates: Created 2003/05/23; Completed 2003/08/28; Revised 2004/11/17;

PMID: 12762177, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

External Links for this article (including full text providers, if available):

Click Electronic Full-text Provider Links to see options for finding the electronic full text links to this article. Note there may be a subscription or fee required for access to the full text. See our FAQ for information on finding FREE full text articles.

This article may also be located in paper journal collections available in many libraries. Use the Journal and Publication Information above to find the full article.

MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

This article has not been indexed for related articles as yet, however you can still use the live related article search links below.

See 100+ related articles.