Inter-group and Inter-individual variability in working memory from childhood to emerging adulthood

Abstract

• Development of WM components is modeled upon an age inverse function. • The WM absolute age inter-group variability increases with age increase. • The WM relative age inter-group variability is preserved with age increase. • The CE and PL present a closer developmental relationship with respect to the VSS. This report is a cross-sectional study aiming to establish the status of age inter-group and individual variability for Working Memory (WM) for the three WM components: Phonological loop (PL), Visuo-spatial Sketchpad (VSS) and Central executive (CE). The direct scores of the CE, the PL and the VSS were obtained in a sample of 258 subjects between 6 and 26 years. The obtained results indicate an increase of direct scores with age that was modeled by an age inverse function. The absolute age inter-group variability increased with age while the relative variability was constant across ages. The WM individual developmental variability showed that although a single principal component would explain the total variability, there was a closer relationship between the development of CE and PL with respect to VSS. The obtained results suggest that the range of WM relative competence is preserved along development which would favour the ecological adaptive value of WM across ages.