The effects of reading purpose and working memory capacity on the processing of expository text.

Abstract

The extent to which low- and high-WMC (working memory capacity) readers adjust cognitive processes to fit the reading purpose was examined. Participants performed a verbal protocol task as they read an expository text under 1 of 2 reading purpose conditions, entertainment or study, and then completed a free-recall task. When reading to study, low-WMC readers emphasized less demanding processes over more demanding processes to a greater extent than high-WMC readers and recalled less. When reading for entertainment, patterns of processes and recall were similar across readers. Thus, all readers adjusted processing to fit the reading purpose; however, when reading for study, low-WMC readers emphasized processes that were the least demanding on their resources but not necessarily beneficial for recall. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved)

Cites (6)

1. Motivational and self-regulated learning components of classroom academic performance.
   Pintrich, Paul R., De Groot, Elisabeth V. · 1990 · Journal of Educational Psychology
2. A capacity theory of comprehension: individual differences in working memory
   Just, Marcel A., Carpenter, Patricia A. · 1992 · Psychological Review
3. Analogical problem solving
   Gick, Mary L., Holyoak, Keith J. · 1980 · Cognitive Psychology
4. Chapter 3: Rethinking Transfer: A Simple Proposal With Multiple Implications
   BRANSFORD, JOHN D., SCHWARTZ, DANIEL L. · 1999 · Review of Research in Education
5. Effects of schema acquisition and rule automation on mathematical problem-solving transfer.
   Cooper, Graham, Sweller, John · 1987 · Journal of Educational Psychology
6. Progress Self-Monitoring: Effects on Children’s Self-Efficacy and Achievement
   Schunk, Dale H. · 1982 · The Journal of Experimental Education

Show all 6 references

Cited by (7)

1. Relevance and Goal-Focusing in Text Processing
   McCrudden, Matthew T., Schraw, Gregory · 2007 · Educational Psychology Review
2. Neural activity of inferences during story comprehension
   Virtue, Sandra, Haberman, Jason, Clancy, Zoe, Parrish, Todd, Jung Beeman, Mark · 2006 · Brain Research
3. The Effect of Relevance Instructions on Reading Time and Learning.
   McCrudden, Matthew T., Schraw, Gregory, Kambe, Gretchen · 2005 · Journal of Educational Psychology
4. What makes students click: working memory and look-up behavior
   Chun, Dorothy M., Scott Payne, J. · 2004 · System
5. The computational implementation of the landscape model: Modeling inferential processes and memory representations of text comprehension
   Tzeng, Yuhtsuen, van den Broek, Paul, Kendeou, Panayiota, Lee, Chengyuan · 2005 · Behavior Research Methods

See all 303