How verbal memory loads consume attention.
According to a traditional assumption about working memory, participants retain a series of verbal items for immediate recall using covert verbal rehearsal, without much need for attention. We reassessed this assumption by imposing a speeded, nonverbal choice reaction time (CRT) task following the presentation of each digit in a list to be recalled. When the memory load surpassed a few items, performance on the speeded CRT task became increasingly impaired. This CRT task impairment depended only on attention-related components of working memory; it was not alleviated by the presence of an auditory memory trace that automatically helped the recall of items at the ends of spoken lists. We suggest that attention-demanding refreshing of verbal stimuli occurs along with any covert rehearsal.
Chen
Zhijian
Z
University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA. cowann@missouri.edu
Cowan
Nelson
N
D001288:Attention; D003118:Color Perception; D003463:Cues; D006801:Humans; D008570:Memory, Short-Term; D010364:Pattern Recognition, Visual; D011597:Psychomotor Performance; D011930:Reaction Time; D012691:Serial Learning; D013067:Speech Perception
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