Skip to main content
Log in

Competing with reasoning: A test of the working memory hypothesis

  • Published:
Current Psychology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

An experiment is reported in which subjects attempted conditional reasoning problems while concurrently articulating a series of digits, with or without memory load. Logical performance was not impaired by the competing tasks and the latency of responding was actually faster under concurrent articulation, without memory load, than in a control group. The results are discussed with reference to the Baddeley and Hitch (1974) model of working memory.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Allport, D.A. (1980a). Patterns and actions: cognitive mechanisms are content specific. In G. Claxton (ed.), Cognitive Psychology, New Directions. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Allport, D.A. (1980b). Attention and performance. In G. Claxton (ed.), Cognitive Psychology, New Directions. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baddeley, A.D. (1976). The Psychology of Memory. New York: Basic Books.

    Google Scholar 

  • Baddeley, A.D. (1979). Working memory and reading. In P.A. Kolers, M.E. Wrolstad & M. Bourne (eds.), The Proceedings of the Conference on the Processing of Visible Language, Eindhoven.

  • Baddeley, A.D. & Hitch, G.J. (1974). Working memory. In G.A. Bower (ed.), The Psychology of Learning and Motivation, 8, 47–90.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brookes, L.R. (1967). The suppression of visualisation by reading. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 19, 289–299.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Brookes, L.R. (1968). Spatial and verbal components of the act of recall. Canadian Journal of Psychology, 22, 349–368.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, J. St B.T. (1972). Reasoning with negatives. British Journal of Psychology, 63, 213–219.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, J. St B.T. (1977). Linguistic factors in reasoning. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 29, 297–306.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Evans, J. St B.T. (1982). The Psychology of Deductive Reasoning. London: Routledge & Kegan Paul (in press).

    Google Scholar 

  • Evans, J. St B.T. & Newstead, S.E. (1977). Language and reasoning: a study of temporal factors. Cognition, 5, 265–283.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Hitch, G.J. & Baddeley, A.D. (1976). Verbal reasoning and working memory. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 28, 603–621.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • McGuigan, F.J. (1966). Thinking: Studies of Covert Language Processes. New York: Appleton Century.

    Google Scholar 

  • Peterson, L.R. (1969). Concurrent verbal activity. Psychological Review, 76, 376–386.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pollard, P. & Evans, J. St B.T. (1980). The influence of logic on conditional reasoning performances. Quarterly Journal of Experimental Psychology, 32, 605–624.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Roberge, J.J. (1978). Linguistic and psychometric factors in propositional reasoning. Quarterly Journal of Psychology, 30, 705–716.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Sokolov, A.N. (1972). Inner Speech and Thought. London: Plenum Press.

    Book  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Evans, J.S.B.T., Brooks, P.G. Competing with reasoning: A test of the working memory hypothesis. Current Psychological Research 1, 139–147 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02684486

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02684486

Keywords

Navigation