Are working memory models WEIRD? Testing models of working memory in a non-WEIRD sample.

2022/04/07 by Kate Cockcroft
Medicine · Psychology · #Cognitive Functions and Memory #Dementia and Cognitive Impairment Research #Sport Psychology and Performance

paper · doi:10.1037/neu0000811

openalex publication_date 2022/04/07 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/26

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: There are many competing working memory models, generally formulated from young adult, typically student, samples from Western, educated, industrialized, rich, and developed (WEIRD) contexts. Whether such models are adequate conceptualizations of working memory (WM) in young adults from non-WEIRD contexts is unclear. METHOD: = 1.82, 38% female) who are multilingual, from predominantly low socioeconomic, largely rural, contexts. RESULTS: Confirmatory factor analyses showed that a four-component structure composed of domain-specific (verbal, visuospatial) storage and processing provided the best fit for the data. CONCLUSIONS: Neuropsychological tests and rehabilitation approaches are based on leading models of working memory, and so their cross-cultural appropriateness is important. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2022 APA, all rights reserved).

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