Lesson 6: Evaluation of the Working Memory model Flashcards
State one positive evaluation of Neurobiological evidence supporting the WMM
(Hint: KF motorbike accident)
+ Shallice and Warrington (1970) reported the case study of KF who, because of a motorbike accident, had poor Short-Term Memory (STM) for words that were presented VERBALLY but NOT VISUALLY.
This suggests that there is more than one type of STM, as the Working Memory Model (WMM) suggests.
Serves as evidence that-> we have a type of STM for
verbal tasks (phonological loop) and another for visual (visuo-spatial sketchpad).
State one positive Laboratory evaluation of the WMM
(Hint: dual task)
+ Baddeley and Hitch (1974) gave participants a dual task.
They were asked to complete a REASONING TASK, which uses the CENTRAL EXECUTIVE, at the same time as a** reading aloud task**, which uses the PHONOLOGICAL LOOP.
Participants could do both tasks simultaneously very well, supporting the idea of separate components in STM.
State one positive evaluation of the WMM
(Hint: Dyslexia)
+ The WMM has practical applications; it has improved understanding of how people LEARN TO READ and so helped psychologists to assist those with DYSLEXIA who can struggle with reading
State a negative evaluation of the WMM
(Hint: Central executive, cerebral tumour, reasoning + decisions)
- Several psychologists have criticised the WMM because they think the idea of a central executive is ** VAGUE** and UNTESTABLE.
Damasio (1985) presented the case of EVR who had a cerebral tumour removed.
He had good** REASONING SKILLS** suggesting his central executive was intact, BUT he could not make DECISIONS, suggesting his central executive was damaged.
-This case study strongly indicates that the central executive is more COMPLICATED than the WMM claims.
