Short-Term Memory as a Function of Cognitive Style

Abstract

Can a person's cognitive style influence the efficiency of his short-term memory system? A series of earlier experiments (1, 2) has shown a definite relationship between dream recall and cognitive style. The present investigation sought to determine whether general recall is affected by the cognitive framework used in processmg. Sixty women students, ranging m age from 18 to 22 yr., were given the Cognitive Processes Survey which measures degree of imagmal hfe, attitude about imaginal life, and degree of suppression (2). Subjects were then categorized on the basis of their scores as high or low imagers and as having positive or negative attitudes about imaginal life, The crlterla used were the mean scale values for women obtained from the normative data for The Cogn~t~ve Processes Survey (2). Short-term memory was measured by the Digit Span Subtest of the Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale (1). Digits Forward and Digits Backward were administered to subjects individually in accordance with instructions in the WAIS manual. The subject's total short-term memory score was the sum of the hlghest scores obtained for digits forward plus digits backward. High score was defined as the longest series of digits repeated without error. Analysis of variance on the dependent measures yielded significant differences between subjects for the variable, degree of imaginal Me (F,,,, = 5.38. pe.05). The mean number of digits recalled for high imagers was 13.23 (SD =2.08) and for low imagers 12.07 (SD = 1.74). On the variable, attitude toward imaginal life, means were not significantly different (F,,>, = 0.11, p>.10). The mean recall for positive attitude was 12.73 (SD=2.13) and for negative attitude 12.57 (SD = 1.87). These data suggest that the element of cognitive style which has the most influence on short-term memory is the degree of imaginal activities experienced. The person's attitude about these experiences does not seem to affect the processing of short-term memory. Perhaps individuals with richer imaginal lives develop codification processes which, through repetition, allow a more effective transfer from sensory to short-term memory. It is also possible that high imagers have a longer attention span than low imagers and consequently hold stimuli for a longer period of time in the short-term memory buffer system. Research should focus on learning strategies of high imagers as well as the effect of suppression on short-term memory and attitude toward imaginal life.