What Causes Poor Working Memory? (6 Ways to Fix It!)

Do you often forget important details like phone numbers, to-do lists, or instructions for a task? Poor working memory might be the culprit.?

Working memory allows us to temporarily store and manipulate information in our minds. It’s an essential function that enables us to complete tasks like driving and studying for exams.???

But what causes poor working memory, and how can you fix it?

Poor working memory can be caused by psychological stress, aging, genetics, brain injuries, and the type of information. To improve working memory, use strategies like chunking, memory aids, the Method of Loci, spaced repetition, and building long-term knowledge.?

In this guide, we’ll dive into the concept of working memory, its importance, and what causes poor working memory. We’ll also explore ways to improve working memory.?

Let’s dive in!

What is working memory?

Working memory is the part of your brain that helps you temporarily hold and manipulate information. You can think of it as your brain’s “mental scratchpad” – it’s where you can jot down information that you need to remember for a short time, like a phone number or a list of items you need to buy at the store.??

Researchers Baddeley and Hitch first proposed the concept of working memory in 1974, and it has been extensively studied in cognitive science ever since. Working memory involves several different subsystems that work together to help you process and remember information.

Working memory capacity is crucial in different cognitive tasks, including learning, reasoning, and comprehension. For example, when you’re reading a complicated article, your working memory helps you hold onto the article’s main points in your mind as you read so that you can connect them and understand the overall message.

Why is working memory important?

Working memory helps us stay focused and aware of what’s happening around us. It enables us to complete tasks like driving, writing essays, and countless others.?

Unlike rote memory, which involves memorizing static information passively, working memory is an active process that allows us to use and apply the information we’ve stored mentally. It’s essential for tasks that involve problem-solving, decision-making, and learning.

Working memory comprises three main components: the phonological loop, visuospatial sketch pad, and central executive.?

• The phonological loop?handles auditory information and stores and rehearses sounds, like a phone number.
• The visuospatial sketch pad?processes visual and spatial information, enabling us to imagine things in our mind’s eye, like where the furniture is in a dark room.?
• The central executive?is the team’s captain, deciding which component of working memory should handle which information.

When these components work together effectively, we can complete tasks efficiently and accurately. For example, we use working memory to learn new information, like the alphabet, and to carry out everyday tasks, like taking notes during a meeting.

However, working memory is limited both in capacity and duration. Adults typically only hold six or seven bits of information in their working memory for a few seconds. If the information is lost from working memory, it cannot be retrieved without some form of assistance or repetition.

With a poor working memory capacity, we may struggle with tasks that require us to hold more than one instruction or complete tasks with multiple steps.

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