Working Memory Consolidation Improves Long-Term Memory Recognition

Recent research has found that maintaining an item in working memory improves subsequent long-term memory performance. The present study explored the role of working memory consolidation in long-term recognition. Participants completed a stimuli-identification task followed by a surprise delayed recognition task. Participants first identified which one of four stimuli matched a target stimulus. The target item was presented either just before or simultaneously with the response set. This manipulation requires the participant to consolidate the target into working memory in the before presentation condition but not in the simultaneous presentation condition. Delayed recognition for the target items was then tested. Despite a slight performance advantage for the simultaneous presentation condition in the stimuli-identification task, long-term recognition performance was considerably better for target items presented in the before presentation condition. These results suggest that consolidation into working memory and not simply attending to an item improves long-term memory performance.