Long-term memory effects on working memory updating development

Abstract

Long-term memory (LTM) associations appear as important to cognition as single memory contents. Previous studies on updating development have focused on cognitive processes and components, whereas our investigation examines how contents, associated with different LTM strength (strong or weak), might be differentially updated at different ages. To this end, we manipulated association strength of information given at encoding, in order to focus on updating pre-existing LTM associations; specifically, associations for letters. In particular, we controlled for letters usage frequency at the sub-lexical level. We used a task where we dissociated inhibition online (i.e., RTs for updating and controlling inhibition from the same set) and offline (i.e., RTs for controlling inhibition from previously updated sets). Mixed-effect analyses were conducted and showed a substantial behavioural cost when strong associations had to be dismantled online (i.e., longer RTs), compared to weak ones; here, in primary school age children. Interestingly, this effect was independent of age; in fact, children from 7–8 to 9–10 years were comparably sensitive to the strength of LTM associations in updating. However, older children were more effective in offline inhibitory control.

Effects of semantic relationship and preactivation on memory updating

“…In fact, these results suggested that strong associations are dismantled and updated with greater difficulty (i.e., they require longer RTs). A further study (with a developmental sample aged 7–10 years; Artuso and Palladino 2019 ) confirmed adult patterns; indeed, a substantial behavioral cost of dismantling and updating strong associations was shown, regardless of age.…”

“…The relationship between LTM and updating has been investigated rarely, and, to our knowledge, with reference to sub-lexical stimuli only (see Artuso and Palladino 2016 , 2018 , 2019 ). Here, the authors considered literature on the beneficial effects of highly associated LTM information based on lexical and phonological frequencies (see Gathercole et al 1999 ; Hulme et al 2003 ).…”

Predicting mathematical abilities from early mathematics and number-specific executive functions in informal and formal schooling

“…previous ndings that highlighted central executive system or EFs as a main component in activation and retrieval of mathematical facts in LTM (46, 69) and that the strength between the EF functions and LTM may be stronger for older children, compared to preschoolers (70).…”

Auditory sensory gating in Huffaz using an auditory brainstem response with a psychological task: A preliminary investigation

“…Although some studies suggest a direct relationship between working memory and long-term memory, 30 , 31 there is a possibility that repeated memorization only triggers the long-term buffer storage capacity (long-term memory) rather than the short-term buffer capacity (working memory). 32 Thirdly, a previous study has shown that working memory capacity may be influenced by the level of an individual's intelligence. 33 Individuals with a high level of intelligence may be able to perform better in the working memory test than those with a standard level of intelligence.…”