How attentional control and working memory capacity predict natural memory usage.

Working memory (WM) has been studied extensively using highly controlled laboratory tasks. In typical WM tasks, to-be-remembered information is briefly flashed on a screen, followed by a delay period and eventually a memory probe. In contrast, recruiting WM in natural behaviour requires the continuous coordination of sampling information externally from the environment and relying on information internally from memory. That is, we are given the choice to self-determine when and how much to rely on memory to guide behaviour. Very little is known about the factors that influence how participants engage WM during natural behaviour. Here, we focused on two strong candidates for potentially predicting natural WM use: 1) the capacity of WM and 2) the ability to direct one's attention in a purposeful and goal-oriented manner (attentional control). The capacity of WM has been shown to vary substantially across individuals. Individual differences in WM capacity have also been linked to attentional control and both have been recognised as important determinants in performance across a wide range of complex behaviours. Using a large sample size of 100 participants, we demonstrate how WM capacity and attentional control influence the natural reliance on memory during a temporally extended virtual reality task. Our approach constitutes the first systematic exploration of the determinants of natural memory reliance during complex behaviour. The findings showcase how benchmarking the limits of cognitive functions relates to how these functions are being engaged in everyday life.