Working memory is like a mental workspace that temporarily holds and manipulates information for immediate use. It allows people to keep details “at hand” to support daily mental functions. This cognitive system has a limited capacity, making it distinct from long-term memory, which stores vast amounts of information. Working memory is involved in various tasks, including following directions, taking notes, and solving problems.
Reasons for Testing Working Memory
Testing working memory helps identify underlying cognitive strengths and weaknesses, offering insights into a person’s daily functioning. Individuals experiencing academic difficulties, such as trouble with reading comprehension or complex math problems, might undergo evaluation. Working memory is a component of executive functions, which are mental skills used for focusing, following directions, and processing information.
Concerns about working memory can also arise as part of a broader assessment for conditions that affect cognitive processes. For example, it is evaluated in the context of neurodevelopmental disorders or specific learning disabilities. Assessments are also conducted following a brain injury or neurological event to track cognitive changes and support recovery. Age-related cognitive decline may also prompt testing to understand changes in memory function.
Common Types of Working Memory Tests
Working memory is assessed through various tasks that measure different aspects of this cognitive function. These tests often involve remembering and manipulating information over short periods. The Digit Span test is a widely used measure of verbal working memory.
Verbal/Auditory Tests
In the forward digit span, individuals hear a sequence of numbers and must repeat them in the same order. This task measures simple storage and attention. The backward digit span requires recalling the numbers in reverse order, which adds a layer of mental manipulation and assesses cognitive control. The longest sequence a person can accurately recall indicates their digit span.
Visuospatial Tests
The Corsi Block-Tapping Test evaluates visuospatial short-term working memory. During this test, a researcher taps a sequence of up to nine spatially separated blocks, and the individual must then replicate the sequence. The sequence length gradually increases, and the longest sequence correctly reproduced is known as the Corsi Span, with an average span for adults being around 5-6 blocks. This task specifically relies on the visuospatial sketchpad component of working memory.
Complex Span Tasks
Complex span tasks, such as the N-Back test, assess working memory capacity by requiring continuous monitoring and updating of information. In an N-Back task, individuals are presented with a sequence of stimuli, such as letters or images, one by one. For each stimulus, they must decide if it matches the item presented “N” trials ago, where “N” can be 1, 2, or more, increasing the task’s difficulty. This task involves both remembering past stimuli and actively updating the mental buffer with new information.
Interpreting Test Results
After a working memory test is completed, the scores are not simply a pass or fail. Instead, raw scores, which are the number of correct responses, are converted into standardized scores. Standard scores compare an individual’s performance to that of a large group of people of the same age or grade level, known as the normative sample. A standard score of 100 represents the average performance within the normative group.
Percentile ranks provide another way to understand test results, indicating the percentage of individuals in the normative group who scored at or below a particular score. For example, a score in the 50th percentile means the individual performed as well as or better than 50% of their peers. These scores are just one part of a comprehensive assessment, and a qualified professional interprets them within a broader context of the individual’s history and other cognitive abilities.
Professional vs. Online Tests
There is a significant difference between professional working memory tests and online quizzes or “brain games.” Professional tests are administered by trained professionals, such as neuropsychologists, in a controlled environment. These assessments are standardized, meaning they are given and scored consistently, and are scientifically validated through extensive research. They provide reliable data that can be used for diagnostic purposes or to inform intervention strategies.
Online working memory tests, while sometimes engaging, lack the scientific rigor of professional assessments. They are not standardized or normed against a representative population, which means their results may not accurately reflect an individual’s working memory capacity in a clinical sense. These online tools can be a fun way to challenge cognitive skills, but they should not be used to self-diagnose or make definitive conclusions about one’s cognitive health. For accurate assessment and interpretation of working memory, consultation with a professional using validated tools is necessary.