Development of working memory in childhood

Abstract

Working memory is the small amount of information that can be kept accessible or “kept in mind” in the service of ongoing cognitive activity. It is of key importance in language comprehension and all sorts of problem-solving. We discuss what working memory means, what is special about it, and how it might be understood within models of cognition and human information processing. Then we examine various types of specific processes within working memory that may undergo developmental improvement. Given limited space, we do not cover working memory in infancy, for which a different set of experimental techniques is needed (see Diamond, 1985; Oakes & Bauer, 2007; Rovee-Collier & Cuevas, Chapter 2, this volume; Reznick, Chapter 13, this volume), or in non-human animals. Finally, we consider some practical consequences of working memory in cognitive disorders relevant to education.

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