Exploring working memory across aging using virtual reality

Abstract

This study aimed to validate a virtual reality (VR) version of a working memory (WM) task. Validating this VR version of the WM task required replicating findings from traditional WM tasks. Nineteen younger adults and twenty older adults completed a delayed match-to-sample WM task in a VR headset. Participants were told to select the shapes that matched the ones previously presented. These shapes varied in number (WM load), with half of them being easily nameable (e.g., heart, Easy condition) or being more abstract (Difficult condition). The accuracy of responding decreased with increasing WM load and was lower for Difficult than Easy conditions when the shape could not be easily named. Additionally, a greater WM load effect was observed in older than younger adults, aligning with findings from non-VR WM research.

These results show that VR is a suitable tool for cognitive research, providing new opportunities for more immersive and interactive cognitive assessments.