Working memory, attention and their relationship: A theoretical overview

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.33448/rsd-v10i5.15288

Keywords:

Working memory; Attention; Cognitive skills.

Abstract

It is broadly agreed that working memory and attention constitute two significant cognitive skills that are closely related. Their relationship has been proved to be intertwined and has attracted intense research interest. It is worth noting that, due to the growth of cognitive neuroscience and neuroimaging studies, there have been many fruitful steps towards further interpreting this link between working memory and attention. In this article, there has been an attempt to explore the concept of working memory and attention and delineate several theoretical options for conceptualizing their relationship. Furthermore, in this article, many neuroscientific aspects of working memory, attention, and their relationship are presented to inform the readers about these concepts and motivate them to deepen their understanding of working memory and attention. Simultaneously, the present article highlights the importance of working memory, attention, and their relationship for the individuals’ proper cognitive function and, generally, their function and attitude in daily life.

Author Biography

Effrosyni Angelopoulou, N.C.S.R. "Demokritos"

 

 

 

References

Aben, B., Stapert, S., & Blokland, A. (2012). About the distinction between working memory and short-term memory. Frontiers in Psychology, 3(301), 1-9. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00301

Adam, K.C.S., & deBettencourt, M.T. (2019). Fluctuations of Attention and Working Memory. Journal of Cognition, 2(1): 33, 1–4. https://doi.org/10.5334/joc.70

Aromataris, E. & Pearson, A. (2014). The systematic review: An Overview. American Journal of Nursing, 114(3), 53-58. https://doi.org/ 10.1097/01.NAJ.0000444496.24228.2c

Awh, E., Vogel, E.K., & Oh, S.H. (2006). Interactions between attention and working memory. Neuroscience, 139(1), 201-208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuroscience.2005.08.023

Baddeley, A. (2010). Working memory. Current Biology, 20(4), R136-R140. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cub.2009.12.014

Baddeley, A. (2000). The episodic buffer: A new component of working memory? Trends in cognitive sciences, 4(11), 417–423. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1364 6613(00)01538-2

Baddeley, A. (1992). Working memory. Science, 255(5044), 556-559. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1736359

Baddeley, A.D. (2002). Is working memory still working? European Psychologist, 7(2), 85-97. https://doi.org/10.1027/1016-9040.7.2.85

Baddeley, A.D., Allen, R.J., & Hitch, G.J. (2011). Binding in visual working memory: The role of the episodic buffer. Neuropsychologia, 49(6), 1393-1400. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2010.12.042

Baddeley, A.D., & Hitch, G.J. (1974). Working memory. In G.A. Bower (Ed.), Recent Advances in Learning and Motivation, 8, 47–89. New York: Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0079-7421(08)60452-1

Baddeley, A.D., Hitch, G.J. & Allen, R.J. (2019). From short-term store to multicomponent working memory: The role of the modal model. Memory and Cognition, 47, 575–588. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-018-0878-5

Baddeley, A.D., & Logie, R.H. (1999). Working memory: The multiple-component model. In A. Miyake & P. Shah (Eds.), Models of working memory: Mechanisms of active maintenance and executive control, 28–61. Cambridge University Press. https://doi.org/10.1017/CBO9781139174909.005

Bhandari, A., & Badre, D. (2016). A Nimble Working Memory. Neuron, 91(3), 503-505. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2016.07.030

Brown, C. (2018). Correlation between working memory, intelligence, and cognitive functions. Journal of Alternative Medicine Research: Special Issue Equipping Minds Cognitive Development, 10(2), 139-154. Updated November 2020. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327075430_Correlation_between_working_memory_intelligence_and_cognitive_functions

Buchsbaum, B.R., & D’ Esposito, M. (2017). Short-term and working memory systems. In J. Byrne (Ed.), Learning and Memory: A comprehensive reference, 3, 2nd edition, 263-274. Oxford: Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809324-5.21081-X

Catinas, O. (2017). Exploring the effects of ageing on short-term memory performance. Thesis for BSc Hons Applied Psychology. https://doi.org/10.13140/RG.2.2.32019.32808

Coombes, S.A., Higgins, T., Gamble, K.M., Cauraugh, J.H., & Janelle, C.M. (2009). Attentional control theory: anxiety, emotion, and motor planning. Journal of anxiety disorders, 23(8), 1072–1079. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.janxdis.2009.07.009

Cowan, N. (2017). The many faces of working memory and short-term storage. Psychonomic Bulletin and Review, 24, 1158–1170. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-016- 1191-6

Cowan, N. (2016). Working Memory Maturation: Can We Get At the Essence of Cognitive Growth? Perspectives on Psychlogical Science, 11(2), 239–264. https://doi.org/10.1177/1745691615621279

Cowan N. (2014). Working Memory Underpins Cognitive Development, Learning, and Education. Educational Psychology Review, 26(2), 197-223. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10648-013-9246-y

De Brigard, F. (2012). The role of attention in conscious recollection. Frontiers in Psychology 3(29), 1-10. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2012.00029

Drigas, A., & Karyotaki, M. (2019). Attention and its Role: Theories and Models. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 14(12), 169-182. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v14i12.10185

Drigas, A., & Mitsea, E. (2020). The 8 Pillars of Metacognition. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 15(21), 162-178. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v15i21.14907

Drigas, A.S., & Pappas, M.A. (2017). The Consciousness-Intelligence-Knowledge Pyramid: An 8x8 Layer Model. International Journal of Recent Contributions from Engineering Science & IT (iJES), 5(3), 14-25. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijes.v5i3.7680

Eysenck, M.W., Derakshan, N., Santos, R., & Calvo, M.G. (2007). Anxiety and cognitive performance: Attentional control theory. Emotion, 7(2), 336–353. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.7.2.336

Gathercole, S.E. (2008). Working Memory. In J. Byrne (Ed.), Learning and Memory: A Comprehensive Reference, 2, 1st Edition, 33–51. Oxford: Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/b978-012370509-9.00179-0

Goldstein, B.E. (2011). Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research, and Everyday Experience, Third Edition. Wadsworth: Cengage Learning.

Karyotaki, M., Drigas, A., & Skianis, C. (2017). Attentional Control and other Executive Functions. International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJET), 12(3), 219-233. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v12i03.6587

Kiyonaga, A., & Egner, T. (2013). Working memory as internal attention: Toward an integrative account of internal and external selection processes. Psychonomic Bulletin & Review, 20, 228–242. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13423-012-0359-y

Kokkalia, G., & Drigas, A. (2015). Working Memory and ADHD in Preschool Education. The role of ICT’s as a Diagnostic and Intervention Tool: An Overview. I-JET, 10, 4-9. https://doi.org/10.3991/ijet.v10i5.4359

Logie, R.H., & Cowan, N. (2015). Perspectives on working memory: introduction to the special issue. Mem Cogn 43, 315–324. https://doi.org/10.3758/s13421-015-0510-x

Snyder, H. (2019). Literature review as a research methodology: An overview and guidelines. Journal of business research, 104, 333-339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jbusres.2019.07.039

Newell, A., & Simon, H.A. (1956). The logic theory machine: A complex information processing system. IRE Transactions on Information Theory, 2(3), 61-79. https://doi.org/10.1109/TIT.1956.1056797

Oberauer, K. (2019). Working Memory and Attention – A Conceptual Analysis and Review. Journal of Cognition, 2(1): 36, 1–23. https://doi.org/10.5334/joc.58

Petersen, S. E., & Posner, M. I. (2012). The attention system of the human brain: 20 years after. Annual review of neuroscience, 35, 73–89. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-neuro-062111-150525

Posner, M.I., & Petersen, S.E. (1990). The attention system of human brain. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 13, 25-42. https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.ne.13.030190.000325

Roth, K. C., Conte, S., Reynolds, G. D., & Richards, J. E. (2020). Attention and Early Brain Development. In: R. E., Tremblay, M., Boivin, R. De V., Peters, (Eds.) Encyclopedia on Early Childhood Development [online]. http://www.child-encyclopedia.com/brain/according-experts/attention-and-early-brain-development. Updated September 2020. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/344239658_Attention_and_Early_Brain_Development

Saito, S. (2001). The phonological loop and memory for rhythms: An individual differences approach. Memory, 9(4-6), 313-322. https://doi.org/10.1080/09658210143000164

Shallice, T., & Warrington, E. K. (1970). Independent functioning of verbal memory stores: A neuropsychological study. The Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 22(2), 261 -273. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00335557043000203

Singh, T., Singh, S.L., Tiwari, T., Patel, A., Singh, A.L., & Mishra, T. (2020). Attention and Consciousness. Conference: IAAP Bangalore. Updated November 2020. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/345566181_Attention_and_Consciousness

Thiele, A., & Bellgrove, M.A. (2018). Neuromodulation of Attention. Neuron, 97(4), 769–785. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.neuron.2018.01.008

Von Hecker, U., & Meiser, T. (2006). Defocused Attention in Depressed Mood: Evidence From Source Monitoring. Emotion, 5(4), 456-463. https://doi.org/10.1037/1528-3542.5.4.456

Zaksaite, T., & Tyagi, V. (2020). Attention. In: Runco, M., Pritzker, S. (Eds.), Encyclopedia of Creativity, 3rd edition, vol. 1. Elsevier, Academic Press, 90–95. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-809324-5.23864-9

Downloads

Published

13/05/2021

How to Cite

ANGELOPOULOU, E.; DRIGAS, A. Working memory, attention and their relationship: A theoretical overview. Research, Society and Development, [S. l.], v. 10, n. 5, p. e46410515288, 2021. DOI: 10.33448/rsd-v10i5.15288. Disponível em: https://rsdjournal.org/index.php/rsd/article/view/15288. Acesso em: 22 dec. 2024.

Issue

Vol. 10 No. 5

Section

Review Article

License

Copyright (c) 2021 Effrosyni Angelopoulou; Athanasios Drigas

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

1) Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution License that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.

2) Authors are able to enter into separate, additional contractual arrangements for the non-exclusive distribution of the journal's published version of the work (e.g., post it to an institutional repository or publish it in a book), with an acknowledgement of its initial publication in this journal.

3) Authors are permitted and encouraged to post their work online (e.g., in institutional repositories or on their website) prior to and during the submission process, as it can lead to productive exchanges, as well as earlier and greater citation of published work.