ABSTRACT
Working memory (WM) capacity is typically assessed using measures that combine the storage component of short-term memory tasks with an additional requirement of simultaneous processing of other information. Tasks such as selecting new furniture rarely seem overly complex and yet other tasks that also rely on WM processing can be cognitively overwhelming. This raises the question of why two tasks, equally dependent on WM capacity, can seem disproportionately difficult. The chapter addresses this issue by providing a brief history of WM research while detailing the real-world implications of WM capacity limitations and discussing what WM capacity is and is not related to as well as when WM capacity should be expected to matter. It discusses how this relates to problem solving and details a line of problem-solving research specifically designed to address what people know about WM capacity limitations. J. Cantor and R. W. Engle also found WM capacity-related differences in the ability to inhibit responses.
