ABSTRACT
This chapter presents two forms of temporary memory—short-term memory and working memory. The Brown-Peterson task measures the duration of short-term memory (or STM) in the face of distraction, and the memory span is the numbers of items that are retained. STM has a limited capacity (four to seven items), is of brief duration, and is easily disrupted. Baddeley’s working memory (WM) is a more complex model, which includes phonological and visuospatial stores; and a central executive. Executive functions control and coordinate cognitive skills, updating, shifting (rules or tasks), attention control, and inhibition. WM is measured by dual-tasks, or performing two things at once in STM (e.g., reading and mental math). There are many contemporary applications of WM: changes with age, inhibiting effects of anxiety, multitasking, and even speculation concerning the evolution of consciousness. The role of working memory in multitasking is described. The question of whether cognitive ability can be improved by explicit training on WM is considered. Applications of STM and WM to language use and comprehension, and problem solving.
