2. MEMORY (The Working Memory Model) Flashcards
What is the main distinction of the Working Memory Model (WMM) compared to the Multi-Store Model of Memory (MSM)?
The WMM suggests that short-term memory (STM) is not unitary, but consists of separate components that handle different types of information.
What are the four main components of the Working Memory Model?
- The Central Executive
- The Phonological Loop
- The Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad
- The Episodic Buffer
What is the function of the Central Executive in the WMM?
The Central Executive is the organizer of STM, attending to incoming information, temporarily storing it, and deciding what to send to other components. It has limited capacity and can process information from any sensory modality but only one type at a time.
What are the subcomponents of the Phonological Loop (PL)?
- The Phonological Store (stores auditory information)
- The Articulatory Loop (allows for maintenance rehearsal)
What is the role of the Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad (VSS)?
The VSS stores and manipulates visual and spatial information, involved in tasks such as pattern recognition and spatial awareness. It has a limited capacity of about three or four objects.
What is the Episodic Buffer in the WMM?
The Episodic Buffer integrates and manipulates information from the Central Executive, Phonological Loop, Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad, and Long-Term Memory (LTM). It processes information that requires multiple senses and helps with time sequencing.
What is ‘dual-task performance’ in WMM research?
It refers to the procedure where participants perform two tasks simultaneously. If performance decreases on both tasks, it suggests that the tasks compete for limited resources in the brain.
What did Baddeley et al. (1973) find in their dual-task experiment?
Participants struggled to do two visual tasks at the same time, but could do a visual and verbal task together more effectively. This supports the idea that the VSS and PL are separate components in the WMM.
How does the case study of KF support the Working Memory Model?
KF had poor STM for auditory information (sounds) but could process visual information normally. This suggests that the phonological loop was damaged, but his visuo-spatial sketchpad was intact, supporting the idea of separate components in STM.
What does research using PET scans show about the WMM?
PET scans show brain activity in different areas when performing visual tasks versus auditory tasks, which corresponds to the different components of the WMM, supporting the model’s validity.
What is a limitation of the WMM regarding the Central Executive?
The Central Executive is difficult to study, and there is limited evidence for its role in STM, making its functions uncertain and challenging to validate.
Why is STM difficult to study in the context of the WMM?
STM has a limited duration (up to 30 seconds), making it hard to test quickly in experiments. Additionally, tasks used to test STM often lack ecological validity because they do not resemble real-life situations.
What is a limitation of the WMM regarding listening to music?
The WMM does not fully account for memory for music. For example, listening to instrumental music does not seem to impair performance on other acoustic tasks, even though both use the phonological loop, suggesting the model needs further development.
What does the WMM suggest about the capacity of STM?
STM has limited capacity, and each component of the working memory model has its own limited storage capacity, meaning that they cannot handle too much information simultaneously.
