Counting on working memory in simple arithmetic when counting is used for problem solving

A concurrent-task methodology was used to investigate relations between the availability of aspects of working memory resources and both strategy selection and execution while simple addition equations (e.g., 4 + 3 = 8) were being verified. Consistent with prior research in which production trials h...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Memory & cognition 2002-04, Vol.30 (3), p.447-455
Main Author: HECHT, Steven A
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Biological and medical sciences
Cognition. Intelligence
Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology
Humans
Mathematics
Memory
Problem Solving
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychology. Psychophysiology
Random Allocation
Reaction Time
Reasoning. Problem solving
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Summary:A concurrent-task methodology was used to investigate relations between the availability of aspects of working memory resources and both strategy selection and execution while simple addition equations (e.g., 4 + 3 = 8) were being verified. Consistent with prior research in which production trials have been used, undergraduates selected a variety of procedures other than retrieval. Availability of working memory resources did not generally affect strategy selection. Disrupting central executive and phonological aspects of memory affected strategy execution, but only when min counting was used to solve the problems. These and other features of the results suggest that availability of working memory resources does not contribute to individual differences in strategy selection and time to execute retrieval processes.
ISSN:0090-502X
1532-5946
DOI:10.3758/bf03194945