Abstract
This study examined the effects of speed pressure on working memory during mental arithmetic tasks. 392 undergraduate students’ working memory capacities were measured and participants were divided into high and low working memory groups. They were then randomly assigned into the fast or slow condition and tested with the critical stimuli compromised of addition equations. The findings showed that fast conditions result in higher error rates than the slow conditions. The speed pressure also caused high working memory individuals to shift from using rule based processing to associative processing whereas low working memory individuals used associative processing in both conditions. However, the study found that both groups show
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Previous studies (Beilock, 2008; Beilock, Kulp, Hot, & Carr, 2004; Beilock & Carr, 2005; Gimmig et al., 2006; Beilock & DeCaro, 2007) have examined ‘choking under pressure’ and concluded that it occurs for those with high working memory (HWM) capacities whereas low working memory (LWM) individuals were not affected. Although this finding has been common amongst researchers, each have examined different factors contributing towards pressure induced failure, in an attempt to explain the phenomena and most accurately coincide with real life situations.
According to Beilock et al., (2004), explicit monitoring and the Distraction Theory are reasons as to why skills may fail under pressure. Explicit monitoring, or self-focus, causes the disruption of automatic processes as individuals force conscious control over the task, causing poorer performance despite the extra effort and attention (Beilock et al., 2004). In contrast, the Distraction Theory claims that pressures fill the WM with worries and concerns over performance and task content which in consequence competes with the resources which are normally utilised for execution (Beilock et al., 2004). To date, most researchers have provided evidence in support for explicit monitoring and its effects of choking under pressure whilst the Distraction Theory has not been adequately
The brain loses the ability to focus and concentrate. Thinking is not helpful under a stressful situation, only reflex and response is immediately needed. Thinking will only interfere with a quick response. Learning and memory are useless if you are going to die within the hour.
The main point of the article is to view the connection between Working Memory Capacity (WMC) and concussions. It starts off by introducing the concept of WMC, and it proceeds to explain its importance in athletics. The article then branches out to take statistics on concussion data based on AOSPAN scores, gender, and sport. The article finishes by comparing said data and providing the conclusion that WMC does not differ between athletes regardless of the contact level of their sport or their previous concussion history.
The Working Memory Index measures the EE104’s ability to register, maintain, and manipulate visual and auditory information in conscious awareness. Working Memory assists an individual in controlling attention and resisting distractions. This index is composed of the Digit Span and Picture Span subtests. EE104 exhibited a strength on the Picture Span (high average) subtest compared to the Digit Span subtest (low average). This discrepancy may indicate that EE104 can best utilize working memory in problem solving when a visual, rather than a verbal, stimulus is presented. During the administration of the Digit Span subtest, EE104 listened
Organization, processing, multitasking, focus and concentration are Mr. Tarabolski’s most significant challenges. He has problems keeping paperwork organized and sometimes loses assignments that he has completed and printed out. Memorization of information is difficult, instead he learns better by being actively involved. Mr. Tarabolski states that he does better and produces higher quality work when he only has to do one thing at a time. The pressure from having multiple assignments due at the same time causes stress and affects his work product.
Cognitive load theory intersects with human cognitive architecture by addressing working memory as limited to three to seven elements of information when the learning of new information is a requirement (Blissett, Cavalcanti, & Sibbald, 2012). Yet, where there is familiarity of information, both capacity and duration limits of working memory are eliminated (Paas & Ayres, 2014). Cognitive load theory introduces the prominence of cognitive schemas as a strategic approach toward the organizing and storage of knowledge using the concept of chunking multiple elements of information within a single element with a specific purpose (Paas & Ayres, 2014). Cognitive schemas explains a learner’s transition from novice to skilled due to the creation
The participants will be given The Working Memory Test Battery for Children (WMTB-C) devised by Gathercole and Pickering (2001). This test consists of four tasks which include
Adam Van Brimmer interviews J.P Pawliw-Fry on the topic of people “Performing Under Pressure” this appeared in the HR Magazine volume 60. This interview Adam Brimmer did with J.P Pawliw-Fry is based on 7-year large study that J.P Pawliw-Fry conducted. This Q&A session was based on what came from the research in terms of what can be done by human resource professional and mangers can do to help and lower stress in their employees. This interview leads to HR professionals who are reading this Q&A’s about how to deal with pressure and how people will view it. Adam Van Brimmer points out that nobody can truly thrive under pressure no matter. The counter point the interviewer also points to is that while others do perform differently and handle
In The Art of Failure, Gladwell analyzes the two different ways someone can underperform when faced with high stress levels. The two forms are choking and panicking, both of which are huge detriments to high-stake tasks. Malcolm writes that in order to overcome these challenges, one must first understand which form they are dealing with. Panicking and choking as defined by Gladwell can be characterized by the root of the obstacle, the resulting inability, and the form of compensation with which a person will be inclined to react.
Savannah’s working memory (WMI=85) and fluid reasoning (FRI=76) were statistically balanced with her FSIQ; however, her visual spatial reasoning (VSI=67) and nonverbal (NVI=66) cognitive skills fell within the extremely low to intellectually deficient range and were statistically discrepant from her cognitive performance. The subtests and factors that tapped into attention, concentration, and overall mental efficiency showed better performance on processing speed as compared to working memory with an overall cognitive proficiency (CPI=75). Savannah demonstrated a specific cognitive strength in auditory arithmetic; however, she did utilize finger counting to solve the mental math items. In addition, Savannah demonstrated specifically weak skills in visual spatial reasoning (Block Design) which highlighted her immature motor perception skills. These overall cognitive scores are lower than how Savannah tested in her previous school (WISC-IV, FSIQ=88), but show improvements in the area of processing speed and working memory. Savannah is a student who works better when information is provided in an auditory manner, and she is actively discussing and responding instead of having to gather information on her own and utilize pencil and paper
As for the evidence of the working memory system, two British researches, Alan Baddley and Graham Hitch, have proposed a model in how to explain the working memory system. They have suggested that the system contains many different parts, and that the main working part of the system is the central executive. This central part is able to delegate tasks for the low-level “assistants” to handle, since these assistants are not able to actually analyze a situation on their own. The articulatory rehearsal loop is one of the assistances that allows a person to remember, and is the most beneficial in many ways. This assistant allows you to recall information that is previously stated by repetitively stating the information in our head, which is known as subvolcalization, or silent speech. Furthermore, Baddley and Hitch’s model suggest that we are able to see the existence of this working memory through “sound-alike” errors, because our bodies rely on this rehearsal loop or memory to recall information. In a study, there was a control group which was given a normal digit-span test. In the other group, people were asked to perform concurrent articulation when they took the test. Although this concurrent articulation is not difficult, it does affect the use of the articulatory loop and decreases the memory. With that being said, manipulation of a
On the bright side, working memory is innately linked to with visual motor speed and sustained attention. That being said, it’s no surprise that those who were fit in their cardiorespiratory systems also had a lesser decline on working memory during their middle age years compared to others who were not. So now you can finally schedule times to meet up with friends and stop having to cancel plans disappointedly.
The results of the studied showed that stress induced SP participants recalled fewer items on test 2 than non-stressed SP participants, whereas there was not a difference in the RP group. Memory impairment caused by stress only resulted in the SP group. In addition, the stressed RP participants showed the performed equally to the non-stressed RP implying that stress has no affect on memory when retrieval practice is used to learn material. The researchers also found that stress had no immediate effect on memory for either group of
Thesis: All of this is quite fascinating but according to neurologist Adam Gazzaley of the University of California, San Francisco multitasking is harder with age. Meaning memory has a part in multitasking as to being able to switch off certain networks of the brain responsible for processing information.
In this modern era, it has become commonplace to try and accomplish as many tasks as possible as quickly as possible in order to be more efficient. With the help of technology, many believe that multitasking is becoming a required and helpful skill. Multitasking is actually a detrimental habit. Multitasking divides a person's concentration in order to attempt to complete multiple actions. Even though in the end the tasks are all finished, the quality of the finished task and the time required to finish all the tasks makes multitasking very inefficient. In addition, this division of concentration is causing many people to not pay attention. For most, multitasking is a disadvantageous skill that should not be encouraged as a valid
2581). The questions of if and how gender plays a role in a person's STM capabilities and working memory is one that has been visited and revisited over time, but has generally yielded fairly consistent results: one sex does not dominate the other in terms of which has a more functional STM, rather, men and women maintain their own respective skills regarding different areas of STM ("Sex Differences in Memory"; Loftus et al. 82).