ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on a set of separable cognitive functions that are collectively referred to as working memory. It explores the theoretical framework, how different domain-specific cognitive functions used to carry out different kinds of cognitive tasks, and account for differential rates of decline for different cognitive abilities, for selective impairment of specific cognitive functions following focal or diffuse brain damage. Factor analysis showed that working memory task scores could be considered the result of a single ability, represented by common variance across tests for a single factor. The qualitative differences in cognition between groups could provide a great deal more insight into the nature of age-related cognitive change than the scores obtained on tests or the degree of common variance across tests. Clearly, many aspects of cognition do decline as people get older, but there are several cognitive abilities that are relatively insensitive to the ageing process.
