Cited by 337Cognitive Abilities and TestingNeural and Behavioral Psychology StudiesVisual perception and processing mechanisms

How to measure working memory capacity in the change detection paradigm

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Rouder, Jeffrey N., Morey, Richard D., Morey, Candice C., Cowan, Nelson·2011·Psychonomic Bulletin & Review

Abstract

Although the measurement of working memory capacity is crucial to understanding working memory and its interaction with other cognitive faculties, there are inconsistencies in the literature on how to measure capacity. We address the measurement in the change detection paradigm, popularized by Luck and Vogel (Nature, 390, 279-281, 1997). Two measures for this task-from Pashler (Perception & Psychophysics, 44, 369-378, 1988) and Cowan (The Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24, 87-114, 2001), respectively-have been used interchangeably, even though they may yield qualitatively different conclusions. We show that the choice between these two measures is not arbitrary. Although they are motivated by the same underlying discrete-slots working memory model, each is applicable only to a specific task; the two are never interchangeable. In the course of deriving these measures, we discuss subtle but consequential flaws in the underlying discrete-slots model. These flaws motivate revision in the modal model and capacity measures.

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Authors
Rouder, J. N., Morey, R. D., Morey, C. C., & Cowan, N.
Affiliations
  • University of Missouri System (US)
  • University of Groningen (NL)
Corresponding author
Rouder, Jeffrey N.
Venue
Psychonomic Bulletin & Review
Published
2011-02-19
Volume
18
Issue
2
Pages
324-330
ISSN
  • 1069-9384 (ISSN-L)
  • 1531-5320
OpenAlex
W1993017443
Cited by
334
References
32
Citations by year
2026: 11 · 2025: 21 · 2024: 44 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 25 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 26 · 2019: 24 · 2018: 20 · 2017: 25 · 2016: 16 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 19 · 2013: 15 · 2012: 20
FWCI
24.30
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Psychonomic Bulletin & Review (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed Central (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (publishedVersion, cc-by-nc)
  • ORCA Online Research @Cardiff (Cardiff University) (submittedVersion)
  • Edinburgh Research Explorer (University of Edinburgh) (submittedVersion, other-oa)
  • University of Groningen research database (University of Groningen / Centre for Information Technology) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc)
Funders
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (R01 HD-21338, R01HD021338)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Cognitive Abilities and Testing
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Neural and Behavioral Psychology Studies
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Visual perception and processing mechanisms
Keywords
working memory capacity, change detection, capacity measurement, modal model, visual working memory
MeSH terms
Aptitude, Humans, Memory, Short-Term, Models, Psychological, Psychological Tests, Signal Detection, Psychological

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