N-back Tasks
N-back tasks are continuous performance tasks commonly used to measure working memory. In these tasks, participants are presented with a sequence of stimuli and must indicate when the current stimulus matches the one from n steps earlier in the sequence.
Single N-back
Description: Participants are presented with a single stream of stimuli (e.g., letters or numbers) and must respond when the current stimulus matches the one presented n items ago.
Example study: Jaeggi et al. (2008) used a single n-back task with letters as stimuli in their working memory training study aimed at improving fluid intelligence.
Dual N-back
Description: Participants are presented with two simultaneous streams of stimuli (e.g., auditory and visual) and must respond when either stream matches the stimulus presented n items ago.
Example study: Jaeggi et al. (2008) employed an adaptive dual n-back task using visual-spatial and auditory stimuli in their influential working memory training study.
Spatial N-back
Description: Participants are presented with stimuli in different spatial locations and must respond when the current location matches the one presented n items ago.
Example study: Dahlin et al. (2008) used a spatial n-back task in their working memory training intervention targeting older adults.
Auditory N-back
Description: Participants are presented with auditory stimuli (e.g., spoken letters or tones) and must respond when the current sound matches the one presented n items ago.
Example study: Buschkuehl et al. (2014) incorporated an auditory n-back task in their working memory training study with older adults.
Visual N-back
Description: Participants are presented with visual stimuli (e.g., shapes or images) and must respond when the current image matches the one presented n items ago.
Example study: Kiyonaga and Egner (2014) used a visual n-back task in their study examining the interaction between working memory and cognitive control.
These n-back task variants are widely used in working memory training research due to their adaptability, ease of administration, and sensitivity to working memory capacity. They allow researchers to manipulate task difficulty by adjusting the ‘n’ value and can be used to assess near-transfer effects (to similar n-back tasks) and far-transfer effects (to other cognitive domains) following working memory training.
References
Here is the list of references in APA style for the studies mentioned:
Buschkuehl, M., Hernandez-Garcia, L., Jaeggi, S. M., Bernard, J. A., & Jonides, J. (2014). Neural effects of short-term training on working memory. Cognitive, Affective, & Behavioral Neuroscience, 14(1), 147-160.
Dahlin, E., Nyberg, L., Bäckman, L., & Neely, A. S. (2008). Plasticity of executive functioning in young and older adults: Immediate training gains, transfer, and long-term maintenance. Psychology and Aging, 23(4), 720-730.
Jaeggi, S. M., Buschkuehl, M., Jonides, J., & Perrig, W. J. (2008). Improving fluid intelligence with training on working memory. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 105(19), 6829-6833.
Kiyonaga, A., & Egner, T. (2014). The working memory Stroop effect: When internal representations clash with external stimuli. Psychological Science, 25(8), 1619-1629.
These references represent key studies in the field of working memory training that have utilized various n-back task paradigms. They demonstrate the versatility of n-back tasks in assessing and training working memory across different populations and research objectives.