Interaction effect of working memory capacity and load in an error detection task

A controlled experiment was carried out to examine the effects of working memory (WM) capacity and load on error detection performance. Twelve participants took part in a simple paper-based error checking task and their WM capacity was assessed. WM load was manipulated to yield three conditions: no-load, mid-load and high-load. A reliable interaction effect between WM capacity and load is found in terms of error detection performance: low-capacity and high-capacity participants perform equally well in no-load condition, however, low-capacity participants perform significantly worse in mid- and high-load conditions. High-capacity participants’performance is unaffected by higher WM loads. The significant interaction effect is consistent with the initial prediction. The results are explained in terms of Salvucci and Taatgen’s (2008) threaded cognition.