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Original Communications

Individual Differences in Visuospatial Working Memory Capacity and Distractor Inhibition

Published Online:April 30, 2009https://doi.org/10.1024/1421-0185.68.2.67

Abstract

Studies examining individual differences in working memory capacity (WMC) show differences between individuals with low-WMC and individuals with high-WMC. This extreme-group design was used to address relationships between individual differences in visuospatial WMC and distractor inhibition. We examined the patterns of errors made on two visuospatial working-memory span tasks (selective matrix task, visual matrix task). We recorded intrusion errors as indicators of inefficient inhibitory mechanisms, and spatial errors as indicators of degraded memory traces. Results indicate that on both tasks, low-span participants make more intrusion errors and spatial errors than high-span participants. Results are discussed in terms of the ability to inhibit distractors, to control the focus of attention, and to guide search from memory.

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