Dear Colleagues,
It seems to me that a single working memory measure can not be used for all L2 projects using the same population. Sounds like one needs to take into consideration the cognitive load of the tasks used in a specific L2 project and accordingly use the most appropriate WM measure placing more or less the same memory demand in order to have reliable results, irrespective of whether there are significant or insignificant relationships between that memory measure and dependent variables. I think even if multiple memory measures are used in an L2 project, one still needs to care about the weight of dependent variable(s) used in that project first and then choose the right memory measure which could well match with those variables in tapping WM. I would much appreciate it if you share your experience and thought with me.
Many thanks
The most important point in this topic is controlling or isolating variables.
I am not sure the details of an "L2 Project" but I will say that working memory is not the same for all people. We can augment our working memory through all sorts of training, so what one person can remember 10 of another can remember 100 or 1000. I am not sure there is an apples-to-apples way to measure cognitive load (if that even truly relates only to WM) across people, the only reliable method may be within subject tests.
I am not saying that it can never be done, only that the nuisance variables are difficult to detect and you probably need a larger sample to make meaning than in other areas?
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