Evolution of Models of Working Memory and Cognitive Resources

Abstract

The goal of this article is to trace the evolution of models of working memory and cognitive resources from the early 20th century to today. Linear flow models of information processing common in the 1960s and 1970s centered on the transfer of verbal information from a limited-capacity short-term memory store to long-term memory through rehearsal. Current conceptions see working memory as a dynamic system that includes both maintaining and manipulating information through a series of interactive components that include executive control and attentional resources. These models also reflect the evolution from an almost exclusive concentration on working memory for verbal materials to inclusion of a visual working memory component. Although differing in postulated mechanisms and emphasis, these evolving viewpoints all share the recognition that human information processing is a limited-capacity system with limits on the amount of information that can be attended to, remain activated in memory, and utilized at one time. These limitations take on special importance in spoken language comprehension, especially when the stimuli have complex linguistic structures or listening effort is increased by poor acoustic quality or reduced hearing acuity.

Non‐auditory neurocognitive skills contribute to speech recognition in adults with cochlear implants

“…We speculate that inhibition‐concentration abilities may be particularly important for CI users during speech recognition, in which they must ignore irrelevant stimuli (noise) and/or inhibit perceiving incorrect lexical items. This explanation is consistent with models of speech perception that emphasize the role that working memory plays in inhibiting interference for irrelevant information, or for inhibiting prepotent but incorrect responses . For example, in the Ease of Language Understanding (ELU) model, under degraded listening conditions, successful speech perception requires a shift from rapid automatic processing to more effortful, controlled processing, which is heavily dependent on working memory capacity .…”

“…This explanation is consistent with models of speech perception that emphasize the role that working memory plays in inhibiting interference for irrelevant information, or for inhibiting prepotent but incorrect responses. 35 For example, in the Ease of Language Understanding (ELU) model, under degraded listening conditions, successful speech perception requires a shift from rapid automatic processing to more effortful, controlled processing, which is heavily dependent on working memory capacity. 36 The relations of inhibitionconcentration, working memory capacity, and speech recognition processes deserve further exploration.…”

Listening and Learning: Cognitive Contributions to the Rehabilitation of Older Adults With and Without Audiometrically Defined Hearing Loss

“…Age-related cognitive declines can include decreased executive function (e.g., the ability to ignore task-irrelevant stimuli, Hasher & Zacks 1988) or task-switching (Kramer et al 1999; Cepeda et al 2001). Also affected are slowed processing speed (Wingfield et al 1985; Salthouse 1996; Fitzgibbons & Gordon-Salant 1998) and reduced memory abilities, including working memory capacity (Kausler 1994; Humes & Floyd 2005; see also Wingfield, this issue, pp. XXXX) and episodic memory (Spencer & Raz 1995; Shing et al 2010), which is the ability to remember events or information and the context in which they were experienced (Tulving 1983).…”

Sensory and cognitive contributions to age‐related changes in spoken word recognition

“…For example, listener differences in working memory and inhibitory control predict performance on a variety of receptive language tasks in older adults (e.g., Benichov et al, 2012;Huettig & Janse, 2016;Lash et al, 2013;Mattys & Scharenborg, 2014;Sommers & Danielson, 1999; for discussions on the interrelationship between working memory, executive function, and inhibition, see McCabe, Roediger III, McDaniel, Balota, & Hambrick, 2010;Wingfield, 2016). For example, listener differences in working memory and inhibitory control predict performance on a variety of receptive language tasks in older adults (e.g., Benichov et al, 2012;Huettig & Janse, 2016;Lash et al, 2013;Mattys & Scharenborg, 2014;Sommers & Danielson, 1999; for discussions on the interrelationship between working memory, executive function, and inhibition, see McCabe, Roediger III, McDaniel, Balota, & Hambrick, 2010;Wingfield, 2016).…”

“…• Neural response consistency how consistently the neural response is produced when the same sound is played in a repeated fashion (Anderson et al, 2012). • Working memory: Postle (2006, p. 23) defines working memory: "Working memory refers to the retention of information in conscious awareness when this information is not present in the environment, to its manipulation, and to its use in guiding behavior" (Wingfield, 2016). Working memory is often assessed in older listeners with a reading span (Daneman & Carpenter, 1980) or a digit span task.…”