Working memory capacity as a determinant of proactive interference and auditory distraction
Journal article
Tehan, Gerald, Arber, Madeleine and Tolan, Georgina Anne. (2018). Working memory capacity as a determinant of proactive interference and auditory distraction. Journal of Cognition. 1(1), pp. 1-10. https://doi.org/10.5334/joc.7
Authors | Tehan, Gerald, Arber, Madeleine and Tolan, Georgina Anne |
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Abstract | Individual differences in working memory capacity are related to performance on a range of elemental and higher order cognitive tasks. The current experiment tests the assumptions of two theoretical approaches to working memory capacity: working memory as executive attention and working memory as temporary binding. These approaches are examined using a short-term updating task where proactive interference is manipulated, such that old responses have to be suppressed in favour of new responses. A second source of distraction is introduced by way of irrelevant, to-be-ignored background speech that accompanies presentation of the list items. This speech reinforces either the to-be-remembered item on the current list, or the to-be-suppressed item. Working memory capacity was significantly related to overall level of correct performance on the short-term task, and to the degree of proactive interference experienced. However, there was no evidence for individual differences in the ability to suppress the interfering foil, nor in priming effects associated with the irrelevant speech. The results provided little support for the working memory capacity as executive attention perspective, some evidence for the binding perspective, but also evidence supporting the fact that some effects of distraction are not under voluntary control. |
Keywords | working memory; speech perception; attention |
Year | 2018 |
Journal | Journal of Cognition |
Journal citation | 1 (1), pp. 1-10 |
Publisher | Ubiquity Press |
ISSN | 2514-4820 |
Digital Object Identifier (DOI) | https://doi.org/10.5334/joc.7 |
PubMed ID | 31517224 |
Scopus EID | 2-s2.0-85085911070 |
PubMed Central ID | PMC6646941 |
Open access | Open access |
Research or scholarly | Research |
Page range | 1-10 |
Publisher's version | License File Access Level Open |
Output status | Published |
Publication dates | |
Online | 10 Jan 2018 |
Publication process dates | |
Accepted | 16 Nov 2017 |
Deposited | 25 Nov 2021 |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/8x246/working-memory-capacity-as-a-determinant-of-proactive-interference-and-auditory-distraction
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Publisher's version
OA_Tehan_2018_Working_memory_capacity_as_a_determinant.pdf | |
License: CC BY 4.0 | |
File access level: Open |
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