ABSTRACT
In current information-processing models, reading draws heavily on working memory, a system responsible for the processing and temporary storage of information in the performance of complex cognitive tasks. Individual differences in reading are assumed to reflect differences in the processing and storage capacity of working memory. This study investigates two questions concerning the role of working memory in reading comprehension. Is reading limited by the capacity of a general working memory system or a specific language-based system? What is the nature of the trade-off between the processing and storage functions of working memory during reading? The results challenge the usefulness of invoking the construct of a general and central working memory capacity to explain and measure individual differences in reading skill. Implications for Baddeley’s (1986) tripartite model of working memory are discussed.
