![]() demanding STM processes) and WM processing-load (i.e., demanding EFs). Thus, in sum, WM-load can be differentiated into WM storage-load (i.e. The central executive may be fractionated further into executive functions (EF) like updating, inhibition, and shifting: the updating of information temporarily memorized for processing, the shifting of the attentional focus between different task demands, and the inhibition (or interference control) of information not (or no longer) relevant for the current processing step ( Miyake et al., 2000 Baddeley, 2007 Bledowski et al., 2010). WM might be fractionated into short-term memory (STM) storage components and a processing component, the central executive ( Engle, 2002 Baddeley, 2003, 2007). WM is defined as a cognitive construct of limited capacity where information from perception and long-term memory is temporarily maintained and manipulated ( Cowan, 1999 Baddeley, 2003). ![]() Taken together, the hypothesized conceptual commonalities between the N-back task and the Ospan (and, for the Dspan, differences) were only partly confirmed by the electrophysiological WM load-related measures, indicating a potential need for reconsidering the theoretical accounts on WM tasks and the value of a closer link to electrophysiological research herein.Įach cognitive task of our daily live like checking a receipt by means of mental arithmetic induces load on working memory (WM). Additionally, we observed that behavioral performance measures correlated with changes in EEG alpha power of the N-back and the Ospan, yet not of the Dspan. This might indicate specific demands on cognitive control in the N-back task. The theta frequency band power and the P300 amplitude were most pronounced in the N-back task as compared to both span tasks. This might indicate higher demands on WM processing in the former two tasks. The N-back and the Ospan showed timely more prolonged alpha frequency band power effects as compared to the Dspan. Yet, based on the conceptual considerations, we hypothesized that the outcomes of these measures would be more comparable between the N-back and the Ospan as compared to the Dspan. We expected that increasing WM-load would generally lead to a decreased alpha and beta frequency band power, an increased theta frequency band power, and a decreased P300 amplitude. In the current study, we compared an N-back task, a complex operation span task (Ospan), and a simple digit span task (Dspan) by means of typical WM load-related measures of the Electroencephalogram (EEG) like the parietal alpha and beta frequency band power, the frontal theta frequency band power, and the P300 amplitude, to examine whether these tasks would show commonalities or differences in WM processing-load. Thus, conceptually, an N-back task and a complex span task share more commonalities as compared to a simple span task. ![]() In contrast, simple span tasks conceptually mainly require WM storage. 5Department of Psychology, Eberhard-Karls-Universität Tübingen, Tübingen, GermanyĪccording to theoretical accounts, both, N-back and complex span tasks mainly require working memory (WM) processing.4Department of Psychology, Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg, Halle, Germany.3Department of Psychology, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin, Germany.2Laboratory for Social and Neural Systems Research, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.1Knowledge Media Research Center, Tübingen, Germany.If a participant does not get any correct answers for a certain digit length, then the experiment concludes.Christian Scharinger 1*, Alexander Soutschek 2, Torsten Schubert 3,4 and Peter Gerjets 1,5 If the participant only gets 1 answer correct, then the block of trials is repeated again with different numbers even though the digit length remains the same. If the participant gets 2 answers correct on a block, then digit length is increased. For example, if a participant sees "389", then they need to recall the number "983."ĭepending on whether the participant answers correctly, the task may become more difficult. The minimum length of digits presented is 2 (e.g., 68) and the maximum length is 8 (e.g., 85496371). The participant is shown a series of digits. The goal of the task is to assess a participant's ability to accurately recall a string of digits in the reverse order of how they were presented. This experiment is a version of the Digit-Span memory task. The Digit-Span task is used to measure storage capacity of numbers in working memory. Experiment Author: Psychology Software Tools, Inc.
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