The DOI matches its Crossref record; 39 of the 39 references it cites were found in a registry or an index.
The Contributions of Strategy Use to Working Memory Span: A Comparison of Strategy Assessment Methods
Abstract
In two experiments, we tested whether individual differences in strategy production account for individual differences in performance on a working memory span task. We measured the strategies used during a standard experimenter-paced operation span (OSPAN) task by having participants make both set-by-set reports of strategy use for individual item sets and global reports of strategy use. In Experiment 1, although normatively effective strategies were self-reported on only a small proportion of OSPAN sets, individual differences in effective strategy use correlated with span performance. Experiment 2 replicated this outcome using a sample of 100 participants but, as important, it demonstrated that individual differences in effective strategy use did not mediate the relationship between OSPAN and measures of verbal ability. Discussion focuses on the interpretation of strategy–span relationships and the relative utility of general reports of strategy use versus the set-by-set reports introduced here for the OSPAN task.
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“Besides practice with an externally provided strategy, also the use of internally generated strategies as measured by self-reports has been found to be related to better complex span performance in several studies9,10,14–16.”
From The early effects of external and internal strategies on working memory updating training (2018) · cites this paper as [15]
In the citing paper
“The present results using the n-back paradigm align well with previous findings mainly from complex span studies that have indicated that explicit WM strategy instruction can be effective10–13, and that self-generated WM strategies are associated with higher task performance9,10,14–16.”
From The early effects of external and internal strategies on working memory updating training (2018) · cites this paper as [15]
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“As the focus of this research is on spoken instructions, the nature of the task necessitates verbal encoding and, subsequently, verbal rehearsal for which adult participants repeat the information out loud or sub-vocally (e.g., Dunlosky & Kane, 2007; Friedman & Miyake, 2004; Unsworth, 2016).”
BackgroundDoubts About the Role of Rehearsal in the Irrelevant Sound Effect
Samper, J., Morrison, A. B., & Chein, J. M. (2021) · Experimental Psychology (formerly Zeitschrift für Experimentelle Psychologie) · doi:10.1027/1618-3169/a000527 · Cited by 6
“This expanded strategy questionnaire described 11 different strategies that have previously been implicated in WM tasks using word stimuli (Hughes & Marsh, 2020; Morrison et al., 2016; Dunlosky & Kane, 2007; see the Supplementary Materials for the questionnaire).”
MethodWorking Memory and Intelligence
Conway, A. R. A., & Kovacs, K. (2019) · Cambridge University Press eBooks · doi:10.1017/9781108770422.022 · Cited by 6
Ward, G. (2024) · Oxford University Press eBooks · doi:10.1093/oxfordhb/9780190917982.013.22 · Cited by 9
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Self-citationCharacterising strategy use during the performance of hippocampal-dependent tasksPreprint
Clark, I. A., Monk, A. M., & Maguire, E. A. (2019) · bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory) · doi:10.1101/807990 · Cited by 6
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BackgroundMethodDoes the extension of free time trigger spontaneous elaborative strategies in working memory?
Leproult, I., Lemaire, B., & Portrat, S. (2024) · Memory & Cognition · doi:10.3758/s13421-024-01615-7 · Cited by 5
“In accordance with the recommendations of Dunlosky and Kane (2007), we chose a method of trial-by-trial reports instead of global-report measures for greater reliability.”
InfluentialMuhammadpour, M., Tahriri, A., Razmjoo, S. A., & Hassaskhah, J. (2025) · Journal of Computer Assisted Learning · doi:10.1111/jcal.70057 · Cited by 6
Self-reported strategy use in working memory tasks
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“These results are in line with several previous studies 6,11,13,15,19 .”
ResultSelf-generated strategies in the phonological similarity effect
AuBuchon, A. M., & Wagner, R. L. (2023) · Memory & Cognition · doi:10.3758/s13421-023-01418-2 · Cited by 5
Why Does Working Memory Span Predict Complex Cognition? Testing the Strategy-Affordance Hypothesis
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Self-citationThe Effects of Elaboration on Working Memory and Long-term Memory across AgePreprint
Bartsch, L. M., & Oberauer, K. (2020) · doi:10.31234/osf.io/nyqtc · Cited by 5
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Piątkowski, K., von Bastian, C. C., Zawadzka, K., & Hanczakowski, M. (2022) · Journal of Experimental Psychology Learning Memory and Cognition · doi:10.1037/xlm0001188 · Cited by 4
Improvement of working memory performance by training is not transferable
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Decision Making Across the Life Span
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“Further, participants in memory tasks frequently report using subvocal articulation strategically (Dunlosky and Kane, 2007; Morrison et al., 2016).”
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Tariq, S., & Noor, S. (2012) · Cited by 4
Gibson, B. S., Gondoli, D. M., Johnson, A. C., & Robison, M. K. (2014) · Child Neuropsychology · doi:10.1080/09297049.2013.826185 · Cited by 7
“Consequently, we conclude that the unexpected imbalance is due to a smallerthan-expected decrease in the number of items recalled from PM arising from the selective enhancement of the PM component (Gibson et al., 2011; Gibson, Kronenberger, et al., 2012). We have thus far attributed the observed increase in the use of…”
BackgroundResultEnhancing visuo-spatial working memory: the role of visual support in preschoolers and adults
Fitamen, C., Blaye, A., & Camos, V. (2024) · Journal of Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1080/20445911.2024.2401043 · Cited by 3
“These results are in line with Bailey et al. (2008) and Dunlosky and Kane (2007) indicating that Low-span adults are less inclined to engage in memorisation strategies during working memory tasks.”
Working Memory and Intelligence
Nash Unsworth, A., & Redick, T. S. (2017) · Elsevier eBooks · doi:10.1016/b978-0-12-809324-5.21041-9 · Cited by 4
Lilienthal, L. (2018) · Journal of Cognitive Psychology · doi:10.1080/20445911.2018.1534855 · Cited by 3
“Previous research has shown that individuals differ in their strategy use during WM tasks, but this research has primarily focused on the verbal domain (e.g. Bailey et al., 2008; Dunlosky & Kane, 2007).”
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“Consistent with this work (Bailey et al., 2008, 2009; Dunlosky & Kane, 2007; Unsworth, 2016), the “other” strategy category was excluded from our analyses because no a priori hypotheses were made as to whether these strategies would be more or less effective.”
Debraise, M., Gauvrit, N., & Mathy, F. (2020) · Psychonomic Bulletin & Review · doi:10.3758/s13423-020-01811-x · Cited by 3
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“Young adults have self-reported spontaneous use of multiple types of working memory strategies (sentence, imagery, grouping, reading, repetition) that engage diverse cognitive processes to varying degrees during these tasks (Bailey et al., 2008, 2011; Dunlosky & Kane, 2007).”
BackgroundVanbilsen, N., Pergher, V., & Hulle, M. M. V. (2023) · Current Psychology · doi:10.1007/s12144-023-04347-0 · Cited by 2
Hart, R., & Brown, L. A. (2025) · Memory & Cognition · doi:10.3758/s13421-024-01676-8 · Cited by 2
“Those who report engaging in such a strategy typically show improved performance (Bailey et al., 2011; Dunlosky & Kane, 2007).”
InfluentialSpontaneous Strategies Used During Novel Word Learning
Laine, M., Peñaloza, C., Eräste, T., Kunnari, A., & Rodríguez‐Fornells, A. (2025) · Language Learning · doi:10.1111/lang.12725 · Cited by 2
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“Working memory capacity is associated with strategy production (Dunlosky & Kane, 2007; Linderholm & van den Broek, 2002; Schelble et al., 2012 ) and may impact the effectiveness of some strategies (Dunlosky & Thiede, 2004; Turley-Ames & Whitfield, 2003).”
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“Research has already revealed how in the presence of strategy instruction high WM individuals revealed greater task performance than low WM individuals (Dunlosky & Kane, 2007; Redifer et al., 2016).”
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***Note: Figures may be missing from this format of the document
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Metadata
- Authors
- Dunlosky, J., & Kane, M. J.
- Affiliations
- Kent State University (US)
- Corresponding author
- Dunlosky, John
- Kane, Michael J.
- Venue
- Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications
- Published
- 2007-09
- Volume
- 60
- Issue
- 9
- Pages
- 1227-1245
- ISSN
- 0033-555X (ISSN-L)
- 1747-0218
- 1747-0226
- OpenAlex
- W2068780666
- Cited by
- 164
- References
- 38
- Citations by year
- 2026: 7 · 2025: 8 · 2024: 12 · 2023: 7 · 2022: 9 · 2021: 14 · 2020: 13 · 2019: 13 · 2018: 14 · 2017: 7 · 2016: 11 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 6 · 2013: 7 · 2012: 8
- FWCI
- 6.30
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- NC Digital Online Collection of Knowledge and Scholarship (The University of North Carolina at Greensboro) (submittedVersion)
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Functions and Memory
- Keywords
- working memory span, strategy use, operation span, individual differences, verbal ability
- MeSH terms
- Adolescent, Adult, Attention, Female, Humans, Individuality, Male, Memory, Short-Term, Neuropsychological Tests, Reaction Time, Reading, Mental Recall, Thinking, Time Factors
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