working memory capacity

psychology

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July 19, 2026

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In psychology, working memory refers to the limited capacity system that humans use to hold and manipulate information for complex cognitive tasks like reasoning and problem-solving. It's conceptualized as a mental workspace rather than just a storage device.12

Working memory consists of at least two storage buffers: one for visuospatial information and another for verbal information. A key component is the "central executive," which coordinates these buffers and actively manipulates information. This capacity is crucial for higher-order cognitive skills and is strongly related to general intelligence. Working memory capacity can be measured by how many items a person can recall while performing another task, and it tends to peak in adulthood before declining with age.13

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Known as “working memory capacity,” this ability is measured most often through a test that requires people to commit a short list of items to memory while performing some other task. Thus, one form of the test might involve reading a series of sentences and then attempting…
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Known as “working memory capacity,” this ability is measured most often through a test that requires people to commit a short list of items to memory while performing some other task. Thus, one form of the test might involve reading a series of sentences and then attempting…
Read More