Evaluation Of The WMM Flashcards
What is ‘dual task performance’?
Individual asked to perform two tasks at the same time. If participants are slower at doing these tasks at same time vs separately it’s assumed the tasks compete for the same resources in the brain. Eg. Listening to music and painting vs reading out loud and writing a letter
What is the supporting research for the WMM using dual task performance
BADDELEY ET AL (1973)
What is the aim of BADDELEY ET AL (1973)?
Test whether STM has separate components as the WMM claims
What is the method of BADDELEY ET AL (1973)?
Condition 1: Participants given simple tracking task - holding pointer in contact with a moving sport of light. At same time asked to perform an imagery task - describing the letter F. Using VSS for both task
Condition 2. Participants given the tracking task using the VSS and a verbal task using the PL
What are the results of BADDELEY ET AL (1973)?
Condition 1. Difficult to track spot of light and describe letter F
Condition 2. Easier to carry out tracking task and verbal task
What is the conclusion of BADDELEY ET AL (1973)?
2 visual tasks harder because competing for limited storage of the VSS. Visual and verbal task can be done well because they make use of seperate components VSS and PL they’re not competing for limited storage
Evaluation of WMM (+) supported by BADDELEY ET AL (1973)? PLUS counterargument
Supported by research using dual task technique. Participants could successfully track spot of light and complete verbal task at same time but couldn’t track light and describe letter F. Supports WMM as supports claim of STM not being unitary more valid model
Counterargument: lacks ecological validity tracking spot of light is very artificial task and tells us little about the WMM in terms of real life STM tasks - considered as weak evidence
Evaluation of WMM (+) supported by case study KF? PLUS counterargument
KF suffered brain damage after a motorcycle crash. Affected his STM. Poor STM ability for auditory info but could process visual info normally eg. Immediate recall of letters better when he read them than when they were read to him. Suggesting his phonological loop had been damaged but his VSS was intact. Supports. WMM as valid seperate
Counterargument: evidence from brain damaged patients NOT RELIABLE it concerns unique cases with patients who’ve had traumatic experiences. Also not representative of all people cos they’re unique cases - LACKS POPULATION VALIDITY
Evaluation of WMM (-) little is known about the central executive?
Very little research has been done on the central executive and we have limited evidence for its role in STM. Difficult to study and can’t be sure that it does monitor and coordinate the slave systems. Limitation because claims about central executive may not be valid
Evaluation of WMM (-) STM is difficult to study?
STM has limited duration of up to 30 secs difficult to work out an experimental method that works quickly enough to test it. Also tasks given have low ecological validity as they aren’t tasks in every day living. Limitation - any experimental evidence relating to STM tends to lack ecological validity tracking meaning evidence supporting WMM is weak
