Working memory is a cognitive system that temporarily holds and manipulates information in the mind during complex mental tasks (Baddeley, 2003; Cowan, 2008). One can think of working memory as a “mental workspace” (Logie, 2003) that allows for information to be stored as other aspects of problem solving are being considered such as making decisions or accomplish goals (Logie, 2011). Working memory involves three components: a central executive that controls attention and task switching, a phonological loop that deals with verbal information, and a visuospatial sketchpad that handles visual and spatial information (Baddeley, 2003). The capacity and efficiency of working memory are critical for many cognitive activities, such as learning, reasoning, language comprehension, and problem-solving (Conway et al., 2003).
References
Baddeley, A. D. (2003). Working memory: looking back and looking forward. Nature Reviews Neuroscience, 4(10), 829-839.
Cowan, N. (2008). What are the differences between long-term, short-term, and working memory? Progress in brain research, 169, 323-338.
Conway, A. R., Kane, M. J., & Engle, R. W. (2003). Working memory capacity and its relation to general intelligence. Trends in cognitive sciences, 7(12), 547-552.
Logie, R. H. (2003). Spatial and visual working memory: A mental workspace. In D. E. Irwin & B. H. Ross (Eds.), Cognitive vision (pp. 37–78). Academic Press. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0079-7421(03)01002-8
Logie, R. H. (2011). The functional organization and capacity limits of working memory. Current Directions in Psychological Science, 20(4), 240-245.
