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Working memory is a critical system of human cognition, providing a conscious stream of thought that allows us to focus attention, store and manipulate temporary information, and flexibly solve complex problems. Although traditionally seen as a multi-componential system with distinct capacity-limited stores (Baddeley & Hitch, 1974), there is a growing consensus that working memory is a more dynamic, attentional-based system limited by the ability to both maintain and disengage from memory representations. Central to this maintenance and disengagement is the integration of representations by binding them into established or novel relations – a process termed relational integration. Working memory tasks are often linked to higher-order abstract reasoning (fluid intelligence) tasks which requires abstraction of relations; and the capacity for relational integration is prevalent throughout comparative cognition. Despite this, the nature of relational integration within working memory is not well understood. This is at least in part due to the difficulty in quantifying unique relational integration demands, separately from well-established passive storage theories and attentional control theories, where predicted outcomes often coincide. Considering the importance of working memory in higher-order functioning, the current project aims to understand the nature of relational integration in working memory, identifying aspects of relational integration which contribute to successful task performance on working memory and fluid intelligence tasks. To this end, several studies are conducted which investigate determinants of relational integration including complexity, salience, and systematicity. Consistent evidence emerges that indicates the ability to establish, maintain, and dissolve multiple strong and flexible bindings is the best predictor of task performance on relational integration tasks; and can predict well-established abstract reasoning tasks over-and-above classic working memory tasks which emphasize attentional control demands or at least, a demarcation of storage and processing. |
