Working Memory & Cognitive Control

A set of flashcards covering key concepts related to working memory and cognitive control.

Working Memory

The active and temporary representation of information that is maintained for the short term, available for manipulation.

Cognitive Control

The manipulation and application of working memory for planning, task switching, attention paying, stimulus selection, and the inhibition of inappropriate reflexive behaviors.

Short-term Memory (STM)

A temporary memory maintained through active rehearsal.

Transient Memory

Nonpermanent memory that lasts seconds or minutes, including sensory and short-term memory.

Long-term Memory (LTM)

Permanent or near-permanent storage of memory that lasts beyond a period of conscious attention.

Phonological Loop

The component of Baddeley’s model of working memory that maintains auditory memories by internal (subvocal) speech rehearsal.

Visuospatial Sketchpad

The component of Baddeley’s model of working memory that holds visual and spatial images for manipulation.

Central Executive

The part of Baddeley’s model that monitors and manipulates both the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad, providing cognitive control.

Word-length Effect

The tendency for a person to remember fewer words from a list as the length of the words increases.

Dual-task Experiment

An experiment that tests the independence of the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketchpad by requiring participants to perform two tasks simultaneously.

Stroop Task

A psychological test that demonstrates the interference of conflicting information, where participants must name the colors of words that are printed in different colors.

Tower of Hanoi

A puzzle that involves moving disks from one peg to another, requiring planning and manipulation of working memory.

Wisconsin Card Sorting Test

A procedure used in laboratories to assess task switching by sorting cards based on changing rules.

Self-ordered Tasks

Tasks that ask individuals to keep track of their previous responses to assess the manipulation of working memory.

Controlled Updating of Short-Term Memory Buffers

The process by which the central executive in Baddeley’s model updates working memory by managing sensory information and memory retrieval.

Raven Progressive Matrix

A test of nonverbal intelligence that evaluates the ability to identify patterns and rules.