How verbal memory loads consume attention.

Full Abstract

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.

Author information

Author/s: Chen, Zhijian (Z); Cowan, Nelson (N);

Affiliation: University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri 65211, USA. cowann(-atsign-)missouri.edu

Grants: R01 HD-21338 (Agency:NICHD NIH HHS)

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

Journal: Memory & cognition (Mem Cognit), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2009-Sep; vol 37 (issue 6) : pp 829-36

Dates: Created 2009/08/14; Completed 2009/10/19;

PMID: 19679862, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 10/19/2009, IMS Date: )

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