4.1.2 WORKING MODEL OF MEMORY Flashcards
who curated the working memory model and when?
- Baddely and Hitch
- 1974
what is the working memory model?
- a response to the over-implication of short-term memory in multi-store model
- is a model of short-term memory
what are the components of working memory?
- central executive
- phonological loop
- visio-spatial sketchpad
- episodic buffer
what is the central executive component?
- controls the working memory and acts as a ‘boss’ of the system
- drives the system
- all information passes to the central executive which then decides which component should process it
- the components can only communicate with each other via the CE
- modality free = can process info from any of the 5 senses
- allocates the components to tasks
- has limited storage capacity, so cannot attend to many things at once
evaluate the central executive
- knowledge of the central executive is limited / not much is known about it
-> ability to evaluate is also limited - most important component of working memory but is the one we know least about
- we know from Baddeley that it’s involved in highly complex tasks such as playing chess / competing verbal resonating tasks
- central executive seems to be involved in any task that requires planning / organising / or monitoring
what is the phonological loop?
- temporary storage device: duration is seconds
- holds information in the form of speech / sounds
two parts of the phonological loop
- phonological store (inner ear) : deals with speech perception
-> phonological store can hold spoken words for around 2 secs
- articulatory control process (inner voice)
-> which processes speech production and rehearses verbal
information (maintenance rehearsal) - plays a key role in the development of reading
evaluate the phonological loop
- there’s more known about this component than any of the others
- it’s the one that most resembles short term memory in the multi store model of memory
- raises the question of:
-> at what point does the central executive take over if a
phonological task is complex, how complex does it need to be for
the central executive to step in
what is the visuospatial sketchpad?
- temporary memory system for holding visual and spatial info
- also known as the inner eye
has two parts
- visual cache: stores visual data about form and colour
- inner scribe: records the arrangement of objects in the visual field
and rehearses and transfers info in the visual cache to
the central executive
evaluate the visuao-spatial sketchpad
- positive that visual and spatial are considered separately
- these are of major importance in everyday life
- we know little as to how spatial and visual connect together
- at what point does the CE take over if a visual / spatial task is complex: how complex does it need to be for CE to step in
what is the episodic buffer?
- temporary storage device used to integrate information from the visuo-spatial sketchpad and phonological loop
- ensures that all information from the other components links together and forms a cohesive whole which makes sense
- recalls material from LTM and integrate it into STM when working memory requires it
- added later to the model than the other components
evaluate the episodic buffer
- it’s added to the model later so you could question what else Baddely and Hitch missed
what is the evidence for the working memory?
-supported by dual task studies
-> people can do tasks at once if they involve separate components
-> easier to do two tasks at the same time if they use different
processing systems (verbal and visual)
how did Baddeley and Hitch test dual task studies?
-> Baddeley and Hitch tested this by asking ppts to repeat a list of numbers at the same time as answering verbal reasoning q’s
-> more digits = more difficult to learn list of words accurately at the same time as repeating ‘red lorry, yellow lorry’
-> verbal reasoning task used the CE
-> digit span task used the phonological loop
how can we evaluate the working memory?
- extends on the work of the MSM and explains complexity of STM with the tasks it can perform
- research on dual task supports the idea of separate components and how they can be overloaded
- this research links to real life as it can explain how we can / cannot do certain everyday tasks together
- ignores three of the five senses: smell, touch and taste
- less is known about the CE: considering its importance, this is an issue
- it’s circular in nature and so breaks Popper’s Law of falsifiability
what does the working model of memory look like?
