Intrusion errors in working memory tasks: Are they related to reading comprehension ability?

The purpose of the present research was to investigate whether inefficient suppression mechanisms cause overload and interference in working memory and, consequently, influence reading comprehension. Two groups of children, matched for intelligence but differing in inferential comprehension ability, were compared on measures of short-term (passive storage) and working memory (maintenance and processing) and memory for relevant and irrelevant information after reading a passage. Poor comprehenders produced more intrusion errors in a working memory task and recalled more irrelevant information from the passage. The presence of irrelevant information in recall suggests that poor comprehenders are less efficient in reducing the activation (suppression) of information, which is no longer relevant. A year-long longitudinal study was conducted to investigate the influence of suppression efficiency in reading comprehension. Intrusion errors were shown to be a good predictor of comprehension performance 1 year later. Suppression mechanisms seem to play an important role in working memory by reducing interference and improving the processing and maintenance of relevant information in order to build a coherent representation during reading comprehension.