The Effect of Cognitive Load on Information Retention in Working Memory: Are Item Order and Serial Position Different Processes?

Abstract

Background/Objectives: A central question in cognitive neuroscience is how information is transferred from working memory to long-term memory, and what factors influence this process. This study aimed to explore the role of cognitive load in the consolidation of information into long-term memory within the framework of the Time-Based Resource Sharing model of working memory. Methods: An exploratory study was conducted using a reading digit span task with delayed response, in which cognitive load was manipulated through Hebb repetition learning. Results: An improvement in the ability to remember the order of the elements was found with the decrease in cognitive load, consistent with the hypothesis that the transfer of information to long-term memory occurs during the maintenance process and involves cognitive load. However, no improvement in the recall of the total number of elements emerged, suggesting that different mechanisms and factors are at play in the process of information transfer. Conclusions: These findings shed new light on the complexity of interactions between working memory and long-term memory, paving the way for further systematic investigations into the nature of mechanisms responsible for transferring information from the former toward the latter.