Other Working Memory Tasks in Cognitive Training Research
Change Detection Task
Description: Participants briefly view an array of items (e.g., colored squares), followed by a short delay. They then view a second array and must determine if any items have changed. This task assesses visual working memory capacity and updating abilities.
Example: Owens et al. (2013) used a change detection task in their working memory training study with children with ADHD. They found improvements in visual working memory capacity and some transfer to other cognitive measures.
Visual Arrays Task
Description: Similar to the change detection task, but often with more complex stimuli or variations in set size to assess visual working memory capacity. This task measures the number of visual objects an individual can maintain in working memory.
Example: Melby-Lervåg et al. (2016) included visual arrays tasks in their meta-analysis of working memory training studies. They found that training on these tasks led to near-transfer effects but limited far-transfer.
Sternberg Task
Description: Participants memorize a set of items, then after a delay, they are presented with a probe item and must indicate whether it was part of the original set. This task assesses the speed and accuracy of memory scanning processes.
Example: Zhao et al. (2018) used a modified Sternberg task in their working memory training study with children and adults. They found improvements in working memory performance and some transfer to response inhibition tasks.
Delayed Match-to-Sample Task
Description: Participants view a sample stimulus, then after a delay, they must identify the matching stimulus from a set of options. This task measures visual working memory and recognition memory abilities.
Example: Buschkuehl et al. (2008) employed a delayed match-to-sample task in their working memory training study with older adults. They found improvements in the trained task and some transfer to visual working memory measures.
Running Span Task
Description: Participants are presented with a sequence of items of unknown length and must recall the last n items when the sequence ends unexpectedly. This task assesses the ability to update working memory contents continuously.
Example: Broadway and Engle (2010) manipulated running memory span tasks to examine effects on recall and relations with criterion measures of working memory capacity and general fluid intelligence.
References
Buschkuehl, M., Jaeggi, S. M., Hutchison, S., Perrig-Chiello, P., Däpp, C., Müller, M., … & Perrig, W. J. (2008). Impact of working memory training on memory performance in old-old adults. Psychology and Aging, 23(4), 743-753.
Melby-Lervåg, M., Redick, T. S., & Hulme, C. (2016). Working memory training does not improve performance on measures of intelligence or other measures of “far transfer”: Evidence from a meta-analytic review. Perspectives on Psychological Science, 11(4), 512-534.
Owens, M., Koster, E. H., & Derakshan, N. (2013). Improving attention control in dysphoria through cognitive training: Transfer effects on working memory capacity and filtering efficiency. Psychophysiology, 50(3), 297-307.
Zhao, X., Chen, L., & Maes, J. H. (2018). Training and transfer effects of response inhibition training in children and adults. Developmental Science, 21(1), e12511.