Intellectually gifted children tend to demonstrate especially high working memory capacity, an ability that holds a critical role in intellectual functioning. What could explain the differences in working memory performance between intellectually gifted and nongifted children? We investigated this issue by measuring working memory capacity with complex spans in a sample of 55 gifted and 55 nongifted children. Based on prior studies, we expected the higher working memory capacity of intellectually gifted children to be driven by more effective executive control, as measured using the Attention Network Test. The findings confirmed that intellectually gifted children had higher working memory capacity than typical children, as well as more effective executive attention. Surprisingly, however, working memory differences between groups were not mediated by differences in executive attention. Instead, it appears that gifted children resolve problems faster in the processing phase of the working memory task, which leaves them more time to refresh to-be-remembered items. This faster problem solving speed mediated their advantage in working memory capacity. Importantly, this effect was specific to speed on complex problems: low-level processing speed, as measured with the Attention Network Test, did not contribute to the higher working memory capacity of gifted children.

有智力的儿童往往表现出特别高的工作记忆能力，这种能力在智力功能中起着关键作用。什么可以解释智力天才和非天才儿童在工作记忆表现上的差异？我们通过在 55 名天才儿童和 55 名非天才儿童的样本中测量具有复杂跨度的工作记忆容量来研究这个问题。根据先前的研究，我们预计智力天才儿童更高的工作记忆能力是由更有效的执行控制驱动的，如使用注意力网络测试所测量的。研究结果证实，智商高的儿童比典型儿童具有更高的工作记忆能力，以及更有效的执行注意力。然而令人惊讶的是，组间工作记忆的差异并非由执行注意力的差异所介导。相反，天才儿童似乎在工作记忆任务的处理阶段更快地解决问题，这让他们有更多时间刷新需要记住的项目。这种更快的问题解决速度调节了他们在工作记忆容量方面的优势。重要的是，这种影响特定于复杂问题的速度：用注意力网络测试衡量的低级处理速度对天才儿童更高的工作记忆能力没有贡献。这种更快的问题解决速度调节了他们在工作记忆容量方面的优势。重要的是，这种影响特定于复杂问题的速度：用注意力网络测试衡量的低级处理速度对天才儿童更高的工作记忆能力没有贡献。这种更快的问题解决速度调节了他们在工作记忆容量方面的优势。重要的是，这种影响特定于复杂问题的速度：用注意力网络测试衡量的低级处理速度对天才儿童更高的工作记忆能力没有贡献。