Is Working Memory Training Effective?

Autor/inn/en	Shipstead, Zach; Redick, Thomas S.; Engle, Randall W.
Titel	Is Working Memory Training Effective?
Quelle	In: Psychological Bulletin, 138 (2012) 4, S.628-654 (27 Seiten) PDF als Volltext Verfügbarkeit
Sprache	englisch
Dokumenttyp	gedruckt; online; Zeitschriftenaufsatz
ISSN	0033-2909
DOI	10.1037/a0027473
Schlagwörter	Control Groups; Intelligence; Transfer of Training; Short Term Memory; Children; Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder; Cognitive Processes; Symptoms (Individual Disorders); Task Analysis; Middle School Students; Instructional Effectiveness + Suchen Sie Ihr Suchwort? Intelligenz; Klugheit; Training; Transfer; Ausbildung; Kurzzeitgedächtnis; Child; Kind; Kinder; Cognitive process; Kognitiver Prozess; Psychiatrische Symptomatik; Aufgabenanalyse; Middle school; Middle schools; Student; Students; Mittelschule; Mittelstufenschule; Schüler; Schülerin; Unterrichtserfolg
Abstract	Working memory (WM) is a cognitive system that strongly relates to a person's ability to reason with novel information and direct attention to goal-relevant information. Due to the central role that WM plays in general cognition, it has become the focus of a rapidly growing training literature that seeks to affect broad cognitive change through prolonged training on WM tasks. Recent work has suggested that the effects of WM training extend to general fluid intelligence, attentional control, and reductions in symptoms of ADHD. We present a theoretically motivated perspective of WM and subsequently review the WM training literature in light of several concerns. These include (a) the tendency for researchers to define change to abilities using single tasks, (b) inconsistent use of valid WM tasks, (c) no-contact control groups, and (d) subjective measurement of change. The literature review highlights several findings that warrant further research but ultimately concludes that there is a need to directly demonstrate that WM capacity increases in response to training. Specifically, we argue that transfer of training to WM must be demonstrated using a wider variety of tasks, thus eliminating the possibility that results can be explained by task specific learning. Additionally, we express concern that many of the most promising results (e.g., increased intelligence) cannot be readily attributed to changes in WM capacity. Thus, a critical goal for future research is to uncover the mechanisms that lead to transfer of training. (Contains 4 figures, 5 tables, and 10 footnotes.) (As Provided).
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Erfasst von	ERIC (Education Resources Information Center), Washington, DC
Update	2017/4/10