Baddeley & Hitch (working memory model)

Question 1

Define central executive

Answer 1

• Control centre of the working memory model, it uses the 3 other systems to control all information moving in and out of the memory system.

Question 2

Define Phonological loop

Answer 2

• Deals with auditory information from the senses and helps to produce the memory trace.

Question 3

Define visuospatial sketchpad

Answer 3

Used to temporarily store visual and spatial information.

Question 4

Define episodic buffer

Answer 4

Coordinates the sight, hearing and movement information from the working memory into sequences to be sent to the LTM.

Question 5

Central executive (more info)

Answer 5

• Overall control over all info entering and leaving.
• Identifies which info should be sent to which one of its sub-systems.
  There are 3 sub-systems with different functions:
  1. Phonological loop
  2. Visuospatial sketchpad
  3. Episodic buffer

Question 6

The phonological loop

Answer 6

• Deals with spoken and written material. It consists of 2 parts:

1) Phonological store (inner ear)= Linked to speech perception (holds info in speech-based form for 1-2 seconds).

2) Articulatory process (inner voice)= used to rehearse and store verbal info to create a memory trace.
- Memory trace= temporary- it is then sent to the LTM where it would trigger a motor programme.
The memory will fade away if not rehearsed.

Question 7

The visuospatial sketchpad

Answer 7

• Concerns visual and spatial information.
• Also helps process information about the feel/ kinaesthesis of the movement.
• Used for navigation.
• It holds info about what you see (this is divided into 2 parts):
  1. The visual cache: holds info about form and colour.
  2. Inner scribe: delas with spatial and movement info.

Question 8

The episodic buffer

Answer 8

• Responsible for coordinating the work of the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketchpad.
• Acts as a backup store- which communicates in both LTM and the components of working memory.
• Allows visual and auditory info to be chunked together.
• Holds info temporarily.

Question 9

Limitation of the theory

Answer 9

• It is difficult to process all this information at once separate parts and then coordinate it into a memory trace.
• This is a lot of work for the working memory, especially in the fraction of the second in which sporting decisions are made.