Working memory, also known as working memory, corresponds to the brain's ability to assimilate information as we perform certain tasks. It is due to the operational memory that it is possible to remember the name of someone we met on the street or to dial the phone number, for example, since it is responsible for storing and organizing information, whether recent or old.
Working memory is essential for the learning process, language comprehension, logical reasoning and problem solving, in addition to being essential for better development in work and studies.
Main features
The working memory is not capable of assimilating all the information and, therefore, it develops strategies to absorb the largest amount of information possible. Thus, the main characteristics of working memory are:
- It has limited capacity, that is, it selects the most important information for the person and ignores what is irrelevant, which is called selective attention - Learn more about selective attention; It is active, that is, it has the ability to capture new information at every moment; It has associative and integrative capacity, in which new information can be correlated with old information.
Understanding the logical sequence of a film is only possible due to working memory, for example. This type of memory processes both the information contained in the short-term memory, which is stored for a short time, and the information in the long-term memory that can be stored for a lifetime.
People who have disorders in working memory may have problems related to learning such as dyslexia, attention deficit, hyperactivity and problems in language development. Find out what can cause memory loss.
How to improve working memory
Working memory can be stimulated through cognitive exercises, such as sudoku, memory games or puzzles. These exercises improve memory performance, in addition to regaining attention and concentration to perform everyday tasks. See what are the exercises to improve memory and concentration.
