A semantic strategy instruction intervention aimed at boosting young and older adults' visual working memory capacity.

ABSTRACT: Greater semantic availability (meaningfulness) within visual stimuli can positively impact visual working memory performance. Across two experiments, we investigated the effects of semantic availability and, for the first time, semantic strategy instruction on visual working memory performance. Experiment 1 focused on young adults' (aged 18-35 years) strategies during visual matrix task recognition. Results highlighted an existing propensity to report incorporating a semantic strategy. Interestingly, there was no significant effect of semantic availability within the task stimuli. Semantic strategy instruction also did not boost, or indeed hinder, accuracy. Experiment 2 incorporated older adults (aged 60-87 years) and highlighted marked differences in capacity with older age. Greater seman

SUBMITTER: Hart R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12402024 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature