The Role of Working Memory Capacity in Multiple-Cue Probability Learning

Abstract

Multiple-cue probability learning (MCPL) involves learning to predict a criterion when outcome feedback is provided for multiple cues. A great deal of research suggests that working memory capacity (WMC) is involved in a wide range of tasks that draw on higher level cognitive processes. In three experiments, we examined the role of WMC in MCPL by introducing measures of working memory capacity, as well as other task manipulations. While individual differences in WMC positively predicted performance in some kinds of multiple-cue tasks, performance on other tasks was entirely unrelated to these differences. Performance on tasks that contained negative cues was correlated with working memory capacity, as well as measures of explicit knowledge obtained in the learning process. When the relevant cues predicted positively, however, WMC became irrelevant. The results are discussed in terms of controlled and automatic processes in learning and judgement.

Does Medical Risk Perception and Risk Taking Change with Age?

“…Each consecutive period shifted by one‐year intervals (i.e., 22–31, 23–32, and so on) until age 68–77 years. This approach has been used to capture subtle trends in data that can be missed by a single regression model . The smaller the period (e.g., 20–29 vs. 20–49), the smaller the overlap across consecutive periods and so the greater the detection of subtle age trends.…”

“…This approach has been used to capture subtle trends in data that can be missed by a single regression model. (44) The smaller the period (e.g., 20-29 vs. , the smaller the overlap across consecutive periods and so the greater the detection of subtle age trends. We struck a balance between the size of the period and its sample size, ensuring that the smallest sample contained no fewer than 34 participants (min = 34, max = 95, M = 54.63; SD = 17.20).…”

Global Cue Inconsistency Diminishes Learning of Cue Validity

“…The latter finding may be due to a greater difficulty for participants to learn a negative contingency between box outcome and overall winner (cf. Betsch et al, 2016; see also Busemeyer et al, 1997; Rolison et al, 2011, for a description of similar results in the prediction of continuous criterion). A subsequent analysis was conducted to examine this possibility.…”

Degraded conditions: Confounds in the study of decision making

“…Taken together, these illustrative experiments provide little evidence that unconscious processes influence multicue judgment. The dominant pattern across the experiments in both the Evans et al (2003) and Rolison et al (2011) studies was of significant positive correlations between measures of performance and explicit knowledge of cue relevance/usage. In those instances where such correlations were absent, procedural artifacts (e.g., timing of awareness assessment) may have been responsible.…”

“…In a recent study Rolison et al (2011) used similar methods to investigate the role of working memory capacity (WMC) in multicue judgment. They found that WMC correlated with performance when tasks involved negative predictors, but not when all relevant cues were positive predictors.…”