ScholarWorks@숙명여자대학교

초록

The main purpose of this study was to examine the relationships among working memory, short-term memory, and intelligence. Under the purpose three research questions were raised as follows: 1)Are working memory(WM) and short-term memory(STM) functionally separable constructs? 2)How WM and STM are related to fluid intelligence(Gf), crystallized intelligence(Gc) and perceptual speed(PS) factor? 3)What are the relationships among WM, STM, and general intelligence(g)? To address these questions, three WM tasks(operation span, reading span, and symmetry span tasks), two STM tasks(forward and backward digit span tasks), and several psychometric intelligence tests were administered to 348 high school and university students whose ages were over 18. Three important findings were obtained. First, confirmatory factor analysis revealed that WM and STM were highly related, but functionally separable constructs. The function of WM involved both memory(storage) processes and executive attention, whereas the function of STM reflected primarily memory processes. Second, WM and STM were differently related to Gf, Gc, and PC respectively. WM showed higher regression coefficient with Gf than STM. Both WM and STM showed almost similar regression coefficients with Gc. STM showed higher regression coefficient with PS than WM. These results were consistent with previous research findings. Third, in final fitting model STM showed a little higher regression coefficient with g than WM. This was an unexpected result because the main function of WM reflected executive control processes which were greatly involved with individual difference in g. In conclusion part, the possible reasons on the unexpected result were discussed and future tasks of WM research such as neuro-physiological approach were proposed.

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