Working Memory Capacity / Edition 1

by Nelson Cowan

Overview

The idea of one's memory "filling up" is a humorous misconception of how memory in general is thought to work; it is actually has no capacity limit. However, the idea of a "full brain" makes more sense with reference to working memory, which is the limited amount of information a person can hold temporarily in an especially accessible form for use in the completion of almost any challenging cognitive task.

This groundbreaking book explains the evidence supporting Cowan's theoretical proposal about working memory capacity, and compares it to competing perspectives. Cognitive psychologists profoundly disagree on how working memory is limited: whether by the number of units that can be retained (and, if so, what kind of units and how many?), the types of interfering material, the time that has elapsed, some combination of these mechanisms, or none of them. The book assesses these hypotheses and examines explanations of why capacity limits occur, including vivid biological, cognitive, and evolutionary accounts. The book concludes with a discussion of the practical importance of capacity limits in daily life.

Incorporating the latest from the recent surge in research into working memory capacity limits and the remarkable new insights provided by neuroimaging techniques, this book serves as an invaluable resource for all memory researchers and is accessible to a wide range of readers.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781138006041
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	06/09/2014
Series:	Essays in Cognitive Psychology
Edition description:	Reprint
Pages:	260
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Nelson Cowan is currently Professor of Psychology, University of Missouri. His research specializations include short-term or working memory, childhood development of short-term and working memory, and the relationship between working memory and selective attention. Nelson edited a book for Psychology Press on the Development of Memory in Childhood (1997) and is currently an Associate Editor on our journal, the Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, Section A.

Table of Contents

Preface. The Problem of Capacity Limits. The Processing System as a Context to Examine Capacity. Refinement of the Concept of Working Memory Capacity. Capacity Limits and the Measurement of Chunking. Further Evidence of a Constant Capacity. Other Views of Capacity Limits. Why the Capacity Limit?.

Editorial Reviews

"This is an excellent and timely manuscript that I would expect to be widely read by cognitive psychologists with an interest in working memory and attention. It addresses a classic issue, namely the question of whether short-term memory has a limited capacity...presents a clear and balanced view of the field..." — Alan Baddeley, University of York

"This is an excellent book, bringing a wealth of knowledge to bear to make the case for a daring hypothesis that will have a large impact on the study of working memory and our understanding of human cognitive abilities." — Klaus Oberauer, University of Bristol

"Cowan demonstrates a scholarly mastery of his subject and includes a broad range of evidence from other fields." — Victor Colotla, in PsycCRITIQUES August 2006

From the Publisher