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Running Head: DENGLER
The Development of Working Memory Capacity in Children
Emily Dengler
Thesis Advisor: Dr. Kara Bopp
Department of Psychology
Wofford College
April 17, 2009
Submitted for partial fulfillment for the Bachelor of Science Degree for the Psychology major at
Wofford College. April 17, 2009
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Abstract
Research examining the lifespan development of working memory has found that working
memory capacity increases during childhood and adolescence. The underlying mechanisms of
changes in capacity are still under investigation. The current paper explores some of the theories
that seek to explain the developmental changes in working memory capacity. These theories
include improvements in general capacity, subcomponent development, resource sharing, task
switching, and interference effects. Increased working memory capacity is a result of the
enhancement of factors that improve capacity and the suppression of factors that inhibit capacity.
The close relationship between capacity and academic achievement in young children suggests
that working memory is an important factor that underlies the development of other cognitive
skills.
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The Development of Working Memory Capacity in Children
The Structure of Working Memory
1. Definition of working memory
a. Conway et al., 2007; Towse & Hitch, 2007; Hutton & Towse, 2001; Berch,
2008; Baddeley&Hitch (1974) (Baddeley, 2003; Logie & Pearson, 1997)
2. Memory Tasks
a. Gathercole & Pickering, 2000; Pickering, 2001; Towse & Hitch, 2007; Case,
Kurland, & Goldberg, 1982; Daneman & Carpenter, 1980; Turner & Engle,
1989; Jenkins, Myerson, Hale, & Fry, 1999
3. Theories of Working Memory Development
a. Hale, Myerson, Emery, Lawrence, & DuFault, 2007; Cowan, 1997
b. Increases in WM capacity
i. Riggs, McTaggart, Simpson, & Freeman, 2006; Swanson, 1996;
Baddeley, 2003; Fastenau, Conant, & Lauer, 1998; Gathercole,
Pickering, Ambridge, & Wearing, 2004; Logie & Pearson, 1997;
Pickering, 2001; Palmer, 2000; Klingberg, Forssberg, & Westerberg,
2002; Gathercole & Pickering, 2000; Gathercole, Pickering, Knight, &
Steggman, 2003; Hitch, Towse, & Hutton, 2001; Seigneruic, Ehrlich,
Oakhill, Yuill, 2000
c. Limitations to WM Capacity
i. Bayliss, Jarrold, Baddeley, Gunn, & Leigh, 2005; Towse & Hitch,
Conlin, Gathercole, & Adams, 2005; Hitch, Towse, & Hutton, 2001;
Hutton & Towse, 2001; Towse & Hitch, 1995; Towse & Hitch, 2007;
Towse, Hitch, & Hutton, 1998; Swanson, 1996; Jenkins, Myerson,
Hale, & Fry, 1999).
4. Working Memory and Academic Achievement
a. Gathercole & Pickering, 2000; Baddeley, 2003; Hitch, Towse, & Hutton,
2001; Seigneruic, Ehrlich, Oakhill, & Yuill, 2000; Gathercole, Pickering,
Knight, and Steggman (2004),
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The Development of Working Memory Capacity in Children
The Structure of Working Memory
1. Definition of working memory (Conway et al., 2007; Towse & Hitch, 2007; Hutton
& Towse, 2001) and argument about definitions (Berch, 2008).
a. Models of WM
i. Baddeley&Hitch (1974) (Baddeley, 2003; Logie & Pearson, 1997)
b. Thesis: How and why working memory capacity changes with age
i. While it is well known that capacity is limited, there is little agreement
regarding the reason for limitations (Berch, 2008).
2. Memory Tasks
a. Simple span tasks (Gathercole & Pickering, 2000; Pickering, 2001).
b. Complex span (Towse & Hitch, 2007; Case, Kurland, & Goldberg, 1982;
Daneman & Carpenter, 1980; Turner & Engle, 1989; Jenkins, Myerson, Hale,
& Fry, 1999)
3. Theories of Working Memory Development - Working memory capacity must
progressively develop (Hale, Myerson, Emery, Lawrence, & DuFault, 2007; Cowan,
1997).
a. Increases in WM capacity
i. General capacity (Riggs, McTaggart, Simpson, & Freeman, 2006;
Swanson, 1996)
ii. Subcomponent development (Riggs et al., 2006; Swanson, 1996;
Baddeley, 2003; Fastenau, Conant, & Lauer, 1998; Gathercole,
Pickering, Ambridge, & Wearing, 2004
1. Visuo-spatial sketchpad (Logie & Pearson, 1997; Pickering,
2001; Palmer, 2000; Klingberg, Forssberg, & Westerberg,
2002
2. Phonological loop (Gathercole & Pickering, 2000; Gathercole,
Pickering, Knight, & Steggman, 2003; Hitch, Towse, &
Hutton, 2001; Seigneruic, Ehrlich, Oakhill, Yuill, 2000)
iii. Organization of WM (Gathercole, Pickering, Ambridge, & Wearing,
2004)
iv. WM strategies (Palmer, 2000).
b. Limitations to WM Capacity
i.
Resource Sharing (Bayliss, Jarrold, Baddeley, Gunn, & Leigh,
2005; Towse & Hitch, 2007).
ii.
Task Switching (Conlin, Gathercole, & Adams, 2005; Hitch,
Towse, & Hutton, 2001; Hutton & Towse, 2001; Towse & Hitch,
1995; Towse & Hitch, 2007; Towse, Hitch, & Hutton, 1998).
iii. Interference (Swanson, 1996) (Jenkins, Myerson, Hale, & Fry,
1999).
4. Working Memory and Academic Achievement (Gathercole & Pickering, 2000;
Baddeley, 2003; Hitch, Towse, & Hutton, 2001; Seigneruic, Ehrlich, Oakhill, &
Yuill, 2000; Gathercole, Pickering, Knight, and Steggman (2004
a. Verbal
b. Visuospatial
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