The concentric model of human working memory: A validation study using complex span and updating tasks

Abstract

Background. Working memory (WM) seems to be central to most forms of high-level cognition. This fact is fueling the growing interest in studying its structure and functional organization. The influential "concentric model" (Oberauer, 2002) suggests that WM contains a processing component and two storage components with different capacity limitations and sensitivity to interference. There is, to date, only limited support for the concentric model in the research literature, and it is limited to a number of specially designed tasks. objective. In the present paper, we attempted to validate the concentric model by testing its major predictions using complex span and updating tasks in a number of experimental paradigms. method. The model predictions were tested with the help of review of data obtained primarily in our own experiments in several research domains, including Sternberg's additive factors method; factor structure of WM; serial position effects in WM; and WM performance in a sample with episodic long-term memory deficits. Results. Predictions generated by the concentric model were shown to hold in all these domains. In addition, several new properties of WM were identified. In particular, we recently found that WM indeed contains a processing component which functions independent of storage components. In turn, the latter were found to form a storage hierarchy which balances fast access to selected items, with the storing of large amounts of potentially relevant information. Processing and storage in WM were found to be dependent on shared cognitive resources which are dynamically allocated between WM components according to actual task requirements. The implications of these findings for the theory of WM are discussed. conclusion. The concentric model was shown to be valid with respect to standard WM tasks. The concentric model offers promising research perspectives for the study of higherorder cognition, including underlying neurobiological mechanisms.

Cognitive Resources in Working Memory: Domain-Specific or General?

“…Working memory (WM) is a system of cognitive processes that store and process information that is currently being used in a cognitive task [ 1 , 2 ]. WM is responsible for maintaining information in an activated state, searching and selecting information from long-term memory, transforming retained cognitive representations, and saving intermediate processing results [ 3 , 4 ]. The significant role of WM is highlighted by strong interrelation with higher-order cognitive functions, such as reading comprehension [ 5 ] and general intelligence [ 6 ].…”

“…For instance, in the concentric model, proposed by K. Oberauer, three states of representations in WM are distinguished: the focus of attention (elements, that are already selected for whatever cognitive operation is set up), the capacity limited region of direct access (elements that form the selection set to be retrieved), and the activated part of long-term memory (elements that are held available in the background) [ 11 ]. The model is based on empirical evidence of WM span and word updating tasks [ 4 , 12 ]. It must be noted that the three regions are not regarded as separate systems (by contrast with the multi-component model), but are supposed to be functionally different states of representations in WM.…”

Untitled

“…Участники исследования были случайным образом распределены на экспериментальную (n=33, целевые приемы) и контрольную (n=27, спонтанные приемы) группы. Обследуемые должны были выполнить 2 серии достаточно трудных когнитивных задач (задачи «2-back» и «Объем операций») (Velichkovsky, 2017). После каждой серии они оценивали свое ФС при помощи методик для самооценки умственного утомления А.Б.…”

“…В современной когнитивной психологии и нейронауке исследователи проявляют активный интерес к изучению регуляции познавательных процессов (Мачинская, 2015;Leonova, 2003;Velichkovsky, 2017). При этом рассматривается совокупность психических механизмов, обеспечивающих достижение стоящих перед человеком целей, модификацию поведения в постоянно меняющихся условиях среды, планирование и генерирование стратегий выполнения сложной деятельности (Блинникова и др., 2007; Смирнов и др., 2017; Williams et al, 2009).…”

“…Psihologicheskie nauki [Bulletin of the Moscow State Regional University. Series Psychological sciences], 4, 42-52.Кузнецова А.С., Титова М.А., Злоказова Т.А Velichkovsky, B.B. (2017)…”