Working memory is the part of your memory reading this sentence right now. It maintains a small window into the past that allows us to process and manipulate things that we hear, see, and feel. It also acts as an interface between the world and our long-term memories as it constanntly decides whether to keep the information being presented or discard it. Just like the random-access memory (RAM) of a computer, it’s very limited compared to the data storage component of our brains. Because of this limitation, it is constantly throwing out unimportant information. For example, what word did I misspell earlier in this paragraph? Did you even notice that there was a misspelling? Those with a background in literary editing may have never forgotten the mistake while the majority breezed right past it as their brains decided it wasn’t important enough to keep. This suggests that our working memory can be augmented, but how?
Many people seeking to better their intelligence often try to improve their working memory capacity. After all, If you had a larger net, then it’s reasonable to assume you’d catch more. This especially makes sense since working memory correlates with reading comprehension and neural suppression, among other markers of intelligence and success. A plethora of brain-training games has hit the market promising to make you a faster reader, more verbally fluent, and…
