Visual-Working-Memory Training Improves Both Quantity and Quality

Abstract

Previous studies have indicated that adaptive visual-working-memory (VWM) training could increase VWM capacity. However, it is still unclear whether a training effect is observed in comparison with an active control group, whether the training would apply not only to VWM quantity but also to VWM quality, and whether the training effects would transfer to other VWM tasks. The present study investigated the transfer effect of VWM-quantity training to VWM quality and that of VWM-quality training to VWM quantity in comparison with an active control group. Each training group performed change detection tasks for either VWM quantity or quality for a week, whereas the active control group performed a visual-search task. The results indicated that VWM-quantity training increased VWM quality at post-test over the pre-test and compared to the active control group. VWM-quality training also increased VWM quantity over the pre-test, although the increased VWM quantity at post-test was not significantly higher than in the active control group. Although the transfer effect of VWM-quality training to VWM quantity was weak, the present results support a transfer effect of VWM training to VWM quantity and quality. Adjusted adaptive training of VWM would enhance the allocation of limited resources for VWM quantity and quality.