Language-independent working memory as measured by Japanese and English reading span tests

Abstract

The efficiency of working memory capacity was measured with the use of a reading span test (RST) written in Japanese and in English. The Japanese version of the RST was based on the RST developed by Daneman and Carpenter (1980) in English (CMU version). An English-as-a-second-language version (ESL version) was also developed for native Japanese college students. The correlation between the Japanese and ESL versions was found to be highly significant (0.84). Moreover, the correlation between the Japanese and CMU versions was found to be high (0.72). The results indicate that the efficiency of working memory for reading appears to be independent of language structure. Thus, the presently developed Japanese version of the RST is likely to predict reading efficiency in the same way that the CMU version does. © 1992, Psychonomic Society, Inc.. All rights reserved.