It is often proposed that individuals with high working memory span overcome proactive interference (PI) from previous trials, saving working memory for task-relevant items. We examined this hypothesis in word-list probe recognition. We found no difference in PI related to span. Instead, ex-gaussian analysis of reaction time showed speed advantages for high spans specific to short lists (3 or 4...

We conducted two experiments to examine the influences of stimulus set size (the number of stimuli that are used throughout the session) and intertrial interval (ITI, the elapsed time between trials) in auditory short-term memory in monkeys. We used an auditory delayed matching-to-sample task wherein the animals had to indicate whether two sounds separated by a 5-s retention interval were the s...

In immediate serial recall short words are better recalled than long words. The word length effect has become pivotal in the development of short-term memory models. The current research tests one explanation of the word length effect; that it is related to proactive interference (PI). We report two experiments in which the relationship is directly tested. In the first experiment we show that w...

Thriving at work is an emerging phenomenon in recent times, which is defined as a psychological state in which individuals experience both the senses of vitality and learning. Researchers and practitioners are looking for ways to enhance the employee’s thriving at work, because it is associated with behavioral outcomes. The objective of this study is to empirically investigate the impact of con...

Occupational calling is a transcendent summons that originates externally to carry out a particular life role (work) in a manner that demonstrates meaningfulness and holds other-oriented values and goals as the main sources of motivation. The aim of the current study is to advance the study of individual differences in achieving occupational calling at workplace. Every individual varies in the ...

The present paper proposes that four neuromodulator systems underpin highly generalized behavioral sets, but each targets either dorsomedial or ventrolateral cortical systems, where it produces its effects in either a proactive or reactive orientation to the environment. This way systems are discriminated that control reactive approach (dopaminergic), reactive avoidance (cholinergic), proactive...

The development of formal models for rational agents is mainly driven by the well-established BDI approach which divides an agent’s mental state into beliefs, desires, and intentions. In this paper, we argue that motivation as well has to be taken into account in order to allow for a flexible and proactive behavior of intelligent agents in unreliable environments. In our approach, motives take ...

This study investigates the fate of information that was previously stored in visual working memory but that is no longer needed. Previous research has found inconsistent results, with some showing effective release of irrelevant information and others showing proactive interference. Using change detection tasks of colors or shapes, we show that participants tend to falsely classify a changed i...

Interference is a major source of short-term errors of memory. The present investigation explores the relationship between two important forms of interference: proactive interference (PI), induced by the need to reject recently studied items no longer relevant to task performance, and semantic interference (SI), induced by the need to reject lures sharing a meaningful relationship with current ...

In two experiments, we investigated the possibility that susceptibility to proactive interference (PI) affects performance on memory span measures. We tested both younger and older adults (older adults were tested because of the suggestion that they are differentially susceptible to PI). We used two different span measures and manipulated testing procedures to reduce PI for these tasks. For old...