Baddeley&Hitch Working Memory Model

Question 1

descibe + outline WMM A01

Answer 1

wmm intoduced to challnege multi memory store model by Atskin& Shirffrin
wmm cognitive model of stm consists of 3 main components
- central executive
- visuospatial sketchpad
- phological loop ( articulatory control system& phonological store)

Question 2

pt 2 central executive (CE) A01

Answer 2

in charge of everything
- determines where everything in brain is allocated through “slave systems”
- limited capacity

Question 3

supporting CE A03

Answer 3

using MRI scans the prefrontal cortex was activated when verbal and spatial tasks were performed simultaneously
but not when performed separately, suggesting the brain area indicates the working of the CE.

Question 4

counter argument CE A03

Answer 4

little direct evidence for how central executive works as it has never been measured

Question 5

visuospatial sketchpad A01

Answer 5

where we create mental images to store and remember visual info
visual or spatial info temporarily stored here

Question 6

supporting for visuospatial sketchpad

Answer 6

KF case study
involved in bike accident and suffered brain damage
KF had poor stm memory for auditory info but fine for visual info
- suggests there are seperate stm components for visual and verbal info

Question 7

counter for visuospatial sketchpad A03

Answer 7

brain damage could prove not reliable
low external validity

Question 8

phonological loop 01

Answer 8

auditory info stored
- limited capacity
-

Question 9

evidence for phonological loop A03

Answer 9

kf study again

Question 10

episodic buffer A01

Answer 10

added by baddeley in 2000
sends info into ltm
processes info that doesnt fit into other stores

Question 11

strengths baddeley tasks

Answer 11

• one task occupied CE
• other task occupied articulatory loop alone or both
• found ppts found it difficult performing two visual tasks than one visual and one verbal

suggests 2 systems and are separates demonstrates CE is a part of WMM

Question 12

CA for central executive

Answer 12

cognitive psychologists say it is unclear and not fully developed
little evidence as it has never been measured

Question 13

CA WMM

Answer 13

ENDEL AND TULVING (1985) suggested it was too simplistic and

LTM was too simplistic and in reality it is much more complex suggested idea of

-episodic memory
-semantic memory
-procedral memory

Question 14

strength A03

Answer 14

PET scans have shown that different areas of the brain are used whilst undertaking visual and verbal tasks which may correspond to the visuospatial sketchpad and phonological loop of WMM

Question 15

strength A03 word length effect

Answer 15

supports phonlogical loop
people found it more diffcult to remember longer words
shows limited space in articulatory loop holds info for 2 secs