While numerous studies have investigated various factors that influence reading, relatively few have examined the relationship between cognitive functions and reading characteristics in healthy adults. In this master’s thesis, we conducted a secondary data analysis to explore how cognitive abilities (specifically working memory, inhibitory control, and cognitive flexibility) relate to reading comprehension and reading speed. The study involved 72 participants aged 20 to 47. For each participant, we measured the time taken to read three literary texts and assessed their performance on corresponding comprehension questions. These data were combined with results from the Lewandowsky Working Memory Capacity Battery, the Stroop task, the Flanker task, and the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test (Berg’s version). Our findings showed that reading comprehension was significantly correlated with overall working memory capacity as well as certain individual measures of working memory. Moreover, total working memory capacity emerged as a significant predictor of reading comprehension. Reading speed, on the other hand, was significantly related to the number of perseverative errors on the Berg Card Sorting Test. These results may reflect characteristics of the selected tasks and a potential reliance on compensatory mechanisms during reading. The study’s outcomes open promising avenues for future research into the cognitive underpinnings of reading and offer a valuable contribution to understanding reading processes in Slavic languages.
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