Dual Task Interference in Low-~Level Abilities: The Role of Working Memory and Effects of Mathematics Anxiety

...................................................................................................................... iii ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ............................................................................................... iv LIST OF FIGURES ......................................................................................................... viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION ....................................................................................... 1 Working Memory............................................................................................................ 4 Subcomponents ......................................................................................................... 10 Slave Systems ........................................................................................................... 10 Phonological Loop .................................................................................................... 11 Visuospatial Sketchpad ............................................................................................. 12 Central Executive ...................................................................................................... 13 Math Anxiety and the Triple Task Effect ..................................................................... 16 The triple task effect ................................................................................................. 20 The Current Investigation ............................................................................................. 21 CHAPTER 2: Experiment 1.............................................................................................. 27 Method .......................................................................................................................... 29 Participants ................................................................................................................ 29 Materials ................................................................................................................... 29 Procedure .................................................................................................................. 30 Results ........................................................................................................................... 33 Analyses .................................................................................................................... 33 Primary Task Reaction Time .................................................................................... 34 Primary Task Percent Error ...................................................................................... 35 Secondary Task Reaction Time ................................................................................ 36 Secondary Task Percent Error .................................................................................. 37 vi Primary Task DTC Analysis ..................................................................................... 39 Secondary Task DTC Analysis ................................................................................. 40 Experiment 1 Discussion .............................................................................................. 41 CHAPTER 3: EXPERIMENT 2 ....................................................................................... 44 Method .......................................................................................................................... 46 Participants ................................................................................................................ 46 Procedure .................................................................................................................. 46 Results ........................................................................................................................... 47 Analyses .................................................................................................................... 47 Primary Task Reaction Time .................................................................................... 47 Primary Task Reaction Time: Subitizing Range ...................................................... 49 Primary Task Reaction Time: Counting Range ........................................................ 50 Primary Task Percent Error ...................................................................................... 51 Primary Task Percent Error: Subitizing Range ......................................................... 52 Primary Task Percent Error: Counting Range .......................................................... 52 Secondary Task Reaction Time ................................................................................ 53 Secondary Task Reaction Time: Subitizing Range .................................................. 54 Secondary Task Reaction Time: Counting Range .................................................... 54 Secondary Task Percent Error .................................................................................. 56 Secondary Task Percent Error: Subitizing Range ..................................................... 57 Secondary Task Percent Error: Counting Range ...................................................... 57 Primary Task DTC Analysis ..................................................................................... 58 Secondary Task DTC Analysis ................................................................................. 59 Experiment 2 Discussion .............................................................................................. 60 CHAPTER 4: GENERAL DISCUSSION ........................................................................ 62