Field dependence-independence from a working memory perspective: A dual-task investigation of the Hidden Figures Test

Field dependence-independence (FDI) is a construct intensively investigated within cognitive style research, but its cognitive underpinnings are not c learly specified. We propose that performance on FDI tasks primarily reflec ts the operations of the visuospatial and executive components of working m emory. We tested this hypothesis in a dual-task experiment with a commonly used measure of FDI, the Hidden Figures Test. The results showed that perfo rmance on this test was impaired by concurrent performance of secondary tas ks that primarily tap the visuospatial component (spatial tapping) and the executive component (2-back and random number generation), but was almost u naffected by other secondary tasks (simple tapping and articulatory suppres sion). Moreover, an analysis of secondary task performance ruled out the po ssibility of strategic trade-offs and revealed an intriguing dissociation f or two different sets of "randomness'' indices for the random number genera tion task. These results support the hypothesised mapping between FDI and w orking memory components and suggest that the dual-task paradigm can provid e a useful way to bring underspecified constructs like FDI into closer alig nment with theoretical ideas developed within cognitive psychology.