Working Memory and Information Retention Flashcards

Working memory capacity is BEST measured by:

Answer: How many items can be maintained and manipulated while performing a concurrent task

Working memory is specifically about active maintenance AND manipulation of information under cognitive load — the concurrent processing demand is the defining feature. Simple recall without interference measures short-term memory, not working memory.

A candidate hears the sequence 7-3-9-2-5 and must repeat it in reverse order. This task primarily tests:

Answer: Working memory — specifically the central executive's manipulation function

Reversing a sequence requires both holding the digits (storage) and mentally reordering them (manipulation) — this is the central executive function of working memory. Pure forward repetition tests storage only.

According to Baddeley's model of working memory, which component handles verbal rehearsal (the 'inner voice')?

Answer: Phonological loop

The phonological loop stores and rehearses verbal and auditory information through articulatory rehearsal (inner voice). The visuospatial sketchpad handles visual/spatial information; the central executive coordinates; the episodic buffer integrates across systems.

A pilot remembers: runway 28L, wind 270/15, QNH 1013. ATC then issues a new clearance: descend to FL080. Which working memory phenomenon poses the greatest risk?

Answer: Displacement — new information pushing out earlier items

Working memory has limited capacity. New, high-priority information (descent clearance) can displace earlier items (QNH, wind) — particularly if those items have not yet been written down or read back.

Which technique BEST improves working memory performance during a complex aviation task?

Answer: Chunking information into meaningful groups

Chunking reduces the number of distinct units in working memory (e.g., treating '270/15' as 'westerly wind 15 knots' rather than six separate characters), effectively expanding functional capacity.

A candidate's working memory score is at the 40th percentile. In the context of pilot aptitude testing, this MOST likely predicts:

Answer: Challenges in multi-task scenarios requiring simultaneous retention and processing

Working memory is most critical in high-workload, multi-task situations — exactly what pilots face. Lower capacity predicts difficulty holding ATC instructions while scanning instruments and managing tasks simultaneously, not failure at simple single-task operations.