CCC- working memory Flashcards
What is working memory?
The system/ systems necessary to keep things in mind- whilst performing complex tasks such as reasoning, comprehension & learning.
Also needed- for not so complex tasks- e.g. daydreaming.
What model did Atkinson & Shiffrin introduce & what year?
Modal model of memory- 1968
What is the modal model of memory?
Multiple memory stores
Information passes between the stores via attention, encoding & retrieval.
Information maintained in the STS via rehearsal.
Modal model of memory
What are the problems with this model?
There is only one short term store (STS)
How can you do two things at once? e.g. drawing something whilst listening to a lecture.
The amount of items spent in the STS dictates how well they are stores in the long term memory.
Patients were found that have selective damage to the STS but no major problems with comprehension, problem solving, general intelligence etc.
What others models are there?
Baddeley & Hitch 1986- working memory model.
What is in Baddeleys working memory model?
Central executive
Visuospatial sketchpad
Phonological loop
Baddeleys working memory model
What does the central executive do?
Drives the whole system (e.g., the boss of working memory)
Allocates data to the subsystems: the phonological loop and the visuospatial sketchpad. It also deals with cognitive tasks such as mental arithmetic and problem-solving.
Baddeleys working memory model
What does the visuospatial sketchpad do?
The visuospatial sketchpad is a component of working memory model which stores and processes information in a visual or spatial form.
The visuospatial sketchpad is used for navigation.
What does the phonological loop do?
The phonological loop is a component of working memory model that deals with spoken and written material.
It is subdivided into the phonological store (which holds information in a speech-based form) and the articulatory process (which allows us to repeat verbal information in a loop).
What is within the phonological loop?
Phonological Store (inner ear) processes speech perception and stores spoken words we hear for 1-2 seconds.
Articulatory control process (inner voice) processes speech production, and rehearses and stores verbal information from the phonological store.
What is the capacity of the phonological loop?
Around 7 items.
Capacity of phonological loop
What affects it?
Word length effect
Study- 1975, participants presented with lists of 5 words to write down in order- as they were read out.
The longer the words were - the fewer that were remembered.
Better at remembering shorter words.
Correlated strongly with how long it took to read the words out loud.
How can the capacity of the phonological loop be tested?
Asking participants to repeat back to you random words/ digits.
What is the capacity of the phonological loop?
Around 7 items- can be a few more/ few less.
What does the word length effect say?
People can only remember what they say in around 1.5 seconds (as long as you can repeat it in 1.5 seconds- you will remember it.)
To remember words or numbers- people will generally repeat them to themselves (under their breath- “sub vocally”)
This is done via an articulatory loop.
The visuospatial sketchpad
What are the functions?
Sequences of visually guided actions
Seeing things in the minds eye.
The visuospatial sketchpad
How can you test the capacity of this?
What does the capacity appear to be ?
e.g- having different squares that change colour at different times- having to remember the sequence of changing colour squares.
Similar to the phonological loop- the capacity of the visuo-spatial sketchpad appears to be around 6-7 items.
The visuo-spatial sketchpad-
What have people argued?
Some argued the visuo-spatial sketchpad can contain a fixed number of items (e.g. 4 or 7)
Others argued working memory is a limited resource which is shared between all items.
The visuo-spatial sketchpad
What other tasks have participants been asked to do?
Given a computer based task.
Shown 3 objects on the screen- different colours & locations.
After one location is highlighted- they have to match up what colour the square/ object was in each location.
Shows how accurate participants are at matching the colour.
People better- if there were fewer items.
People can flexibly allocate their attentional store- that we can flexibly allocate depending on the situation we are in.
Baddeleys working memory model
Summary- of this model?
We have dedicated working memory “buffers”/ systems for some specialized types of information.
The buffers are independent from each other- the info from one buffer doesn’t interfere with the information from another buffer (so we can do two things at the same time)
e.g we can juggle as well as hold a string of digits in mind.
The buffers are thought to be controlled by the Central executive.
Baddeleys working memory model
What does the capacity of the buffers depend on?
What can brain damage result in?
Depends on whats being stored.
Result in damage to these buffers- can result in damage independently!
Baddeleys working memory model
What are the issues with this model?
People are able to repeat back meaningful paragraphs & sentences- far better than unrelated words!
Problems with Baddeleys working memory model
What study did Baddeley do & what were the results?
Baddeley & Wilson 2002
Tested 23 amnesic patients- all had severe memory/ cognitive problems.
Found many examples where immediate prose recall-short paragraphs was normal- they could repeat it back relatively well.
This suggests there is more going on.
Recall after a delay was highly impaired.
How was Baddeleys working memory model updated?
Baddeley proposed the episodic buffer.
Also introduced how the different systems interact with Long Term Memory.
