A searchable index of real negative results, null findings, and replication failures from the published literature — so you can learn what didn't work before repeating it.
WASTE indexes published research — it does not host or republish full papers. Each entry is a metadata record (title, authors, DOI) compiled from open scholarly databases, with the abstract shown in full only where the paper is openly licensed (e.g. Creative Commons); otherwise a short excerpt is shown for reference under fair use. WASTE classifies each work by failure type; classifications are automated and approximate.
57 results in Negative / Null Result Report for "working memory" · page 2 of 2
Landínez-Martínez D, Grisales-Aguirre A · 2025 · Preprint
Background: /Objectives: Post-stroke cognitive impairment significantly impacts long-term functional outcomes, particularly in instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs). Working memory training (WMT) has emerged as a potential…
Guitard D, Neath I, Surprenant AM · 2026 · Memory & cognition
The word-length effect refers to the finding that memory on many short-term/working memory tasks is better for words with fewer syllables than words with more syllables. The standard account attributes this result to a combination of decay…
Liu B, Alexopoulou ZS, van Ede F · 2024 · Communications psychology
Brain circuitry that controls where we look also contributes to attentional selection of visual contents outside current fixation, or content within the spatial layout of working memory. A behavioural manifestation of this contribution…
Pedale T, Karampela O, Eriksson J · 2025 · eNeuro
A key process for successful working memory is to prioritize task-relevant information over distraction, i.e., to control attentional deployment. Here we investigate to what extent attentional control during a delayed match-to-sample task…
Brown CRH · 2026 · Psychological research
When stimuli are retained in visual working memory (VWM) external stimuli which overlap with this representation capture attention when performing a visual task. It has not been determined, however, whether this mechanism can partly…
Walda SAE, van Weerdenburg M, Bosman AMT · 2024 · Research in developmental disabilities
Background Poor decoding and spelling (literacy) skills have been associated with weak working memory. Aims The aim of this study was to elucidate the contribution of working memory to literacy progress in students with dyslexia. It has…
Hu L, Gao Z, Gao Q et al. · 2024 · Scientific reports
Holding and processing actions in visual working memory (VWM) is crucial for daily functioning, but it is capacity-limited. The vestibular system, which is activated by both vestibular signals and visual gravitational motion, may be…
Chung YH, Williams L, Brady TF et al. · 2025 · Preprint
Across many studies, verbal labels have been shown to significantly affect perceptual and cognitive processes. Here we ask whether verbal labels can also improve visual working memory performance by making objects more recognizable. In a…
Chung YH, Williams LH, Brady TF et al. · 2025 · Journal of experimental psychology. General
Across many studies, verbal labels have been shown to significantly affect perceptual and cognitive processes. Here, we ask whether verbal labels can also improve visual working memory performance by making objects more recognizable. In a…
Chung YH, Williams L, Brady TF et al. · 2024 · Preprint
Across many studies, verbal labels have been shown to significantly affect perceptual and cognitive processes. Here we ask whether verbal labels can also improve visual working memory performance by making objects more recognizable. In a…
Grunewald K, Andrews JL, Schweizer S · 2026 · Child development
Little is known about how social network associations are tracked in cognition during adolescence, when social networks change in size and complexity. In 2023, 123 ethnically diverse adolescents and emerging adults (13-24 years; 52.9%…
Fourgassie L, Subra B, Sanitioso RB · 2026 · International journal of psychology : Journal international de psychologie
Two studies investigated the impact of stereotype threat on aggressive reactions. Female participants performed a working memory task under a stereotype threat or a control condition. Following this task, they had the opportunity to…
Mills T, Pascoe L, Spencer-Smith M et al. · 2025 · The Clinical neuropsychologist
Objective To examine working memory performance in young adults born very preterm (VP) and full-term (FT) in the context of information processing. Methods A cohort of 118 young adults born VP (mean age 20.1 years) and 48 young adults born…
Leproult I, Lemaire B, Portrat S · 2024 · Memory & cognition
Elaboration has emerged as a potential maintenance mechanism involved in the substantial contribution of long-term memory (LTM) to working memory (WM) performance. The objective of the current study was to determine whether elaborative…
Tuo Y, Yang S, Dai X et al. · 2026 · Journal of ethnopharmacology
Ethnopharmacological relevance Syringa oblata Lindl. emits a variety of biogenic volatile organic compounds (BVOCs) during full bloom, which forms the key chemical basis for its characteristic floral scent. Species of the genus Syringa…
Meret Sophie Wallimann, Katharina Beck, David Cyrill Lätsch · 2026 · European Journal of Psychotraumatology
Background: Psychological maltreatment is linked to negative developmental outcomes in adolescents. It includes psychological abuse (PA) and psychological neglect (PN), which are commonly studied as a pair. This study applied the dimensional model of adversity and psychopathology (DMAP), which conceptualises abuse as a threatening experience involving harm or the threat of harm that primarily impairs social-emotional processing, such as emotion regulation, while it views neglect as deprivation or absence of parental care that predominantly affects cognitive functioning, such as working memory.
Tristan G. Pesaresi (6751925), Grayson Breneman Ashby (6751931), Min-Ken Liao (6751934) et al. · 2019
Working memory correct (A), working memory incorrect (B) and reference memory (C) errors over the 12 days of testing are shown between low fat and high fat-fed rats. There were no significant differences between dietary group for any of…
Dam, Johansen, Gillings et al. · 2026 · BJPsych open
Working memory deficits are common in mood disorders and severely affect everyday functioning. Serotonin (5-HT) signalling has been implicated in depression and is also involved in cognitive functioning. However, its relevance for working…
Sime Nkemeni Darrin, Hong Hao, Cheng Long et al. · 2026 · Frontiers in Psychology
IntroductionThis study investigates the cognitive effects of long term (years of practice) Tai Chi practice, revealing mixed outcomes for executive functions. This study equally addresses the gap in research regarding the long term effects of Tai Chi, emphasizing its influence on the executive functions of young adults.MethodsUsing the BRIEFA scale and tasks like the Flanker task, More Odd Shift Task, and Nback tasks, significant differences emerged between Tai Chi students and nonstudents.ResultsIn the results, Tai Chi students demonstrated superior inhibitory control and working memory compa
Jing Yuan, Jing Yuan, Ningning Mao et al. · 2020 · Frontiers in Behavioral Neuroscience
Socially anxious individuals are very sensitive to threatening information in the environment, so visual working memory (VWM) is of great significance for them. However, the influence of social anxiety on VWM is unclear. In the present study, we aimed to investigate the VWM in individuals with social anxiety using electrophysiological techniques. Event-related potentials (ERPs) of high socially anxious (HSA) individuals and low socially anxious (LSA) individuals were recorded during a change-detection task with two memory conditions (two and four items). Electrophysiological results indicated
Shoji Kawashima, RCIP-Nagoya Study Group, Noriyuki Matsukawa · 2022 · BMC Neurology
Abstract Background Mild cognitive impairment in Parkinson’s disease (PD-MCI) is associated with an increased risk of cognitive decline. PD-MCI is characterized by impairments in executive function and visuospatial recognition. The visuospatial n-back test is useful for assessing both domains. The 0-back test reflects visuospatial recognition, while the 1-back and 2-back tests reflect working memory. Cholinesterase inhibitors are effective in the treatment of PD-MCI and dementia in PD (PDD). Although some studies have reported the efficacy of memantine for PDD, the therapeutic efficacy of mema
Barnes-Scheufler C, Yalçın M, Rösler L et al. · 2026 · Preprint
Abstract Deficits in visuospatial working memory (WM) have been consistently reported in both persons with schizophrenia (PSZ) and bipolar disorder (PBD). In healthy controls (HCS), WM typically declines with age; however, it remains…
Salimi Y, Namdarzadeh B, Aarani FD et al. · 2026 · Behavioural brain research
The gut-brain axis plays a key role in the bidirectional communication between the gastrointestinal system and the brain, with gut microbiota significantly influencing cognitive function. While synbiotic and probiotic interventions have…
Dias Maile AA, Kohl O, Ort E et al. · 2026 · Preprint
Cortical brain regions integrate information across different timescales, ranging from fast sensory processing to longer integration windows, allowing cognitive functions like working memory. At the large-scale, brain regions organize into…
Yaemrattanakul W, Manachamni K, Ruangrattanapong J et al. · 2026 · BMC psychology
Background Healthcare undergraduate students often face high cognitive and emotional stress, negatively affecting their working memory and well-being. Mindfulness-based practices, such as sitting meditation and body scan, are proposed to…
Nigar N, Neelima M, Ahmad N · 2026 · Cognitive processing
The current study investigated the gender-specific relationship between cognitive thinking styles (CTS) and arithmetic fluency, controlling for working memory. It focuses on two specific CTS-Inchworm and Grasshopper (Bath et al. 1986).…
Alhwaiti M · 2025 · Applied neuropsychology. Child
Objectives The aim was to investigate the mediating role of processing speed in the relationship between working memory and fluid reasoning in children with a reading disorder (dyslexia). Methods A descriptive-correlational method was…