Transcript Working Memory: Is it the New IQ?
Working Memory: Is it the New IQ?
Dr Tracy Packiam Alloway Director of the Centre for Memory & Learning in the Lifespan University of Stirling, UK www.tracyalloway.com
Overview
What is working memory?
HOW is working memory different from IQ?
Environmental factors
Learning: Typical development Developmental disorders Cognitive training
Working Memory
Key features
: Mental workspace to remember and work with information Limited in capacity Catastrophic loss
Example
23 X 3 23 x 37 23 x 7 = 161 23 x 30 =
Measuring working memory
Behavior: Working Memory Rating Scale http://www.pearson-uk.com/WMRS Cognitive Automated Working Memory Assessment http://www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
Screening tools
Classroom behavior: Working Memory Rating Scale Harcourt/Pearson Education Standardized for 5 – 11 years Developing WMRS for 12 -16 and for parents www.pearson-uk.com/WMRS
Screening tools
Based on interviews with teachers 20 items Not typical at all; Occasionally; Fairly typical; Very typical Abandons activities before completion Incorrectly repeats the same response, for example by writing the same word twice in a sentence www.pearson-uk.com/WMRS
Screening tools
Cognitive
:
Automated Working Memory Assessment Harcourt/Pearson Education First standardised tool for educators to screen for working memory impairments Translated in over 15 languages www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
The AWMA
The
AWMA
is standardized for 4-22 years.
Screener: 5-7 minutes 2 tests Short version: 10-15 minutes 4 tests Long version: 40 minutes 12 tests www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
Tests
Verbal short-term
Digit recall Word recall Nonword recall
Visuo-spatial short-term
Dot matrix Mazes memory Block recall
Verbal working memory
Listening recall Counting recall Backward digit recall
Visuo-spatial working memory
Odd one out Mister X Spatial recall www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
Verbal short-term memory: Digit recall
839251
839251 www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
Verbal working memory: Listening recall
“ bananas have teeth”
“
“ chairs lay eggs
false false eggs, teeth www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
Visual-spatial short-term: Dot matrix
www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
Visual-spatial working memory: Spatial recall Same/ different www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
TEST
VERBAL SHORT-TERM MEMORY
Digit recall
VERBAL WORKING MEMORY
Listening recall Listening recall processing
VISUO-SPATIAL SHORT-TERM MEMORY
Dot matrix
VISUO-SPATIAL WORKING MEMORY
Spatial recall Spatial recall processing STANDARD SCORE PERCENTILES 83.0 9.0 81.0 72.0 80.0 89.0 71.0 9.0 2.0 9.0 22.0 3.0 www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
This graph indicates whether Jack is at risk for working memory problems. The grey shaded area represents average or typical performance for this age group. The blue area represents Jack's working memory profile.
105 100 95 90 85 80 75 70 65 150 Verbal short-term memory 145 140 135 130 125 120 115 110 Verbal working memory Visuospatial short-term memory Visuospatial working memory www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
Learning profile
Verbal short-term memory
Jack’s performance in the area of verbal short term memory skills is below average compared to the peers in the same age-group. The scores indicate that Jack is likely to have specific impairments in language learning, and would acquire new vocabulary items at a much slower rate than the peers in the same age-group. www.pearson-uk.com/AWMA
Development of WM
Working memory capacity increases steadily with age between 4 and 16 years Increases as we get older: Greatest growth in childhood WM growth is like dog years: 1 year of growth in childhood = 10 years of growth in adulthood
Working Memory: Lifespan
2 1 0 7 6 5 4 3 5 8 10 13 16 22 35 45 55 60 Items in WM
Development of WM
Working memory capacity increases steadily with age between 4 and 18 years Large degree of individual variation in working memory capacity at each age
Working memory varies at each age 4 3 2 1 10 4 5 6 7 8 9 Age in years Alloway & Gathercole (2006)
Educational Research and Reviews
4 year old in a class of 7 year olds
Working memory varies at each age 4 3 2 1 10 4 5 6 7 8 9 Age in years Alloway & Gathercole (2006)
Educational Research and Reviews
Working Memory & Environment
Pre-school experiences Alloway et al (2005)
British J. of Developmental Psychology
Mother’s education level High school drop-out University degree UK, USA, & Europe Alloway et al (2004)
J. of Experimental Child Psychology
www.tracyalloway.com
Working Memory & Environment
Economically deprived areas in Brazil www.tracyalloway.com
Working Memory & Environment
Wealthy areas in Brazil www.tracyalloway.com
Working Memory & Environment
Pre-school experiences Mother’s education level Low-income vs. high-income families IQ & working memory: Brazil Cultural background Luxembourg The Netherlands www.tracyalloway.com
Working Memory & Environment Pure measure of learning ability Measures potential to learning Not what we have already learned www.tracyalloway.com
WM & Learning
Is it more important than IQ in learning?
Typically developing children Developmental disorders Learning difficulties Developmental Coordination Disorder ADHD
WM at school entry: 5 yrs
Assessed at school entry within the first 6 weeks Verbal working memory ⇨ Reading, Writing & Math IQ DID NOT predict learning Alloway et al (2005)
British Journal of Developmental Psychology
Learning 6 years later (11 yrs)
IQ Working Memory 5 yrs Working Memory 11 yrs
Alloway & Alloway (2008)
READING SPELLING MATH
WM & Learning difficulties
100 95 70 65 60 90 85 80 75 SEN group School action School action plus Statemented Alloway et al (2005) Educational & Child Psychology
Children with LD: 2 years later
Learning T1 English Verbal working memory Learning T2 Maths IQ scores Alloway (2009),
European Journal of Psychological Assessment
WM & Learning difficulties
If a child has a working memory impairment, they will;
Have perform poorly in all areas of learning
Only 2% had SS >96 in reading & maths
Have low self-confidence
Lose motivation
Continue struggling throughout their academic career
Similar patterns in Dutch sample
Alloway et al (2009)
Child Development
WM & DCD
Labels Developmental Coordination Disorder (DCD) Clumsy Child Syndrome Gross motor skills (large movements): Poor balance: Riding a bicycle Poor hand-eye co-ordination: Catching a ball & batting Fine motor skills (small movements): Lack of manual dexterity: cutlery, craft work, musical instruments Poor manipulative skills: Typing, handwriting and drawing Prevalence 6% of school children, More males than females affected Alloway (2006)
Working Memory in Neurodevelopmental Disorders
WM & DCD
Alloway (2007)
JECP
WM & DCD
Struggle with visual-spatial memory tasks Difficulties with movement.
movement planning:
mentally rotating objects and tracking They also perform poorly as a result of the
combined processing and storage demands
of these tasks.
Distinct memory profile from those with learning difficulties Alloway & Temple (2007)
Applied Cognitive Psychology
WM & DCD: Learning
Motor skills or Working Memory = Learning difficulties? Two groups: High Visual-Spatial Memory Low Visual-Spatial Memory Motor skills: Both groups will have low learning scores Working Memory: Low VS Memory group will have lower learning scores Low Visual-Spatial Memory group performed worse in Reading & Math Even after accounting for IQ Alloway (2007)
JECP
Dyspraxia: Intervention
Intervention: Exercise Motor skills Working memory Alloway & Warner (2008) Perceptual & Motor skills Learning
WM & ADHD
Characteristics: inattention, hyperactivity and impulsivity Trouble focusing, easily distracted, trouble staying still, frequently unable to control impulsive behaviour Must be more frequent than their peers and evident in 2 or more settings (school & home) Prevalence 3-7% of school children More males than females (between 5 – 11 years)
WM & ADHD
Visuo-spatial working memory: Best single predictor of ADHD out of other EF measures Linked to learning difficulties independent of IQ
WM & ADHD
Cognitive training
Plasticity Evidence that working memory improves Transfer to learning?
Training for the test Just improving attention/focus Specific versus general skills for learning www.tracyalloway.com
http://www.junglememory.com
Cognitive training
15 10 5 0 -5 M at hs -10 -15 S pe llin g V er V ba er l W ba M l W M P ro ce ss in g V is ua V is l W ua M l W M P ro ce ss in g Control Trial Alloway (in press)
PATOSS
Working Memory: The New IQ?
#1 predictor of academic success Measures
fluid
skills not
crystallized
cognitive Children don’t fail because they can’t understand, or haven’t acquired crucial knowledge Independent of SES factors www.tracyalloway.com