Normative Data for a Working Memory Test: the Four Word Short-Term Memory Test

A number of tests of short-term memory based on the Brown-Peterson paradigm (recall of either trigrams or short words after varying distractor intervals) have been utilized by neuropsychologists in both clinical practice and in research protocols. The present study provides normative data for a large group of subjects (N=350) aged 18-65 on the Four Word Short-Term Memory Test, a measure of working memory based on the Brown-Peterson paradigm. The Four Word Short-Term Memory Test presents subjects with four words at the rate of one word per second and subjects are then asked to recall the words following a distractor interval of counting backwards by threes for 5, 15 or 30 s. Normative data is stratified by age and education and presented in overlapping midpoint intervals. Percentile rankings based on age and education are also provided.