Working memory and reasoning: An individual differences perspective

Authors: Capon A.¹; Handley S.¹; Dennis I.¹

Source: Thinking & Reasoning, Volume 9, Number 3, August 2003 , pp. 203-244(42)

Publisher: Psychology Press, part of the Taylor & Francis Group

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Abstract:

This article reports three experiments that investigated the relationship between working memory capacity and syllogistic and five-term series spatial inference. A series of complex and simple verbal and spatial working memory measures were employed. Correlational analyses showed that verbal and spatial working memory span tasks consistently predicted syllogistic and spatial reasoning performance. A confirmatory factor analysis showed that three factors best accounted for the data--a verbal, a spatial, and a general factor. Syllogistic reasoning performance loaded all three factors, whilst spatial reasoning loaded only the general factor. The implications of these findings are discussed in the context of reasoning theories and contemporary accounts of the structure of working memory.

Document Type: Research article

DOI: 10.1080/13546781343000222

Affiliations: 1: University of Plymouth, UK

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