Working memory is the cognitive system that holds a limited amount of information in an active, readily accessible state while that information is used to guide ongoing thought and behavior. It differs from passive short-term storage because it both retains and manipulates content, supporting reasoning, language com…
Working memory is the cognitive system that holds a limited amount of information in an active, readily accessible state while that information is used to guide ongoing thought and behavior. It differs from passive short-term storage because it both retains and manipulates content, supporting reasoning, language comprehension, planning, and goal-directed action. Influential models describe it as comprising separable components: a phonological store for verbal material, a visuospatial buffer for imagery and location, an episodic buffer that integrates information across modalities, and a central executive that allocates attention and coordinates these subsystems. Capacity is sharply limited and varies across individuals, and this variation predicts performance on complex tasks and academic outcomes. Working memory is closely tied to executive function, and both are sensitive to development and aging, with structured cognitive and physical training investigated as means to preserve or improve them in older adults. The system depends on prefrontal and parietal networks and is vulnerable to neurological injury, oxidative and inflammatory stress, and conditions such as attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, where working-memory weakness contributes to academic and behavioral difficulty. Research spans assessment, the neural basis of capacity, and interventions intended to strengthen it across the lifespan.
8 peer-reviewed articles, ranked by relevance. Each links to its DOI.
The 8 articles above have been cited 24 times in the scholarly literature. Citation data via OpenAlex and Crossref, updated Jun 2026.
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