Effect of psychosocial stress on working memory (WM) : increase in psychosocial stress decreases WM performance

• Main Author: Mah, Michelle Wan Qing
• Other Authors: Chen Shen-Hsing Annabel
• Format: Final Year Project
• Language: English
• Published: 2012
• Subjects: DRNTU::Social sciences::Psychology::Consciousness and cognition
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/49133
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

Past studies have shown that stress has a relationship with memory. The present study aims to address the question on the effect of psychosocial stress on working memory performance in a Singaporean undergraduate population. Specifically, it is hypothesized that an increase in psychosocial stressors (perceived stress and negative life events) is expected to lead to a decrease in visuospatial WM performance. Questionnaires on perceived stress and negative life events are administered to the undergraduate population in Nanyang Technological University. Results showed that there are gender differences in perceived stress, where females feel more stressed even though they encountered similar number of external stressors than males. Cognitive load is also found to have an effect on accuracy and reaction time. Longer reaction times and lower accuracy scores of the visuo-spatial working memory task are found in high levels of cognitive loads. Lastly, regardless of cognitive loads, performance in terms of accuracy is more vulnerable to stressful conditions in females. Implications of these findings are discussed.