The Effect of Short-Term Memory on Measures of Semantic Knowledge

Kohen, Francine and Kalinyak-Flizar, Michelene and Reilly, Jamie and Martin, Nadine (2006) The Effect of Short-Term Memory on Measures of Semantic Knowledge. [Clinical Aphasiology Paper]

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Abstract

This study explored the effect of varying short-term memory (STM) demands on performance during two semantic judgment tasks. On both tests, the semantic tasks remained constant but the number of items that were required to be activated and maintained increased. Four adults with aphasia all demonstrated noticeable deterioration, beyond chance, when the testing paradigm involved more items to be held in STM. . This evidence supports the “activation maintenance” hypothesis of semantic impairments in aphasia and not degradation of the semantic representations themselves. Treatment implications are also discussed.

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