Memory Models: WMM (1974) Flashcards
Who proposed this memory model?
Baddeley and Hitch (1974)
What are the 4 components of the WMM?
- Central executive
- Phonological loop
- Episodic buffer
- Visuospatial sketch pad
What does a dual task study involve?
Doing 2 tasks that take place in the same slave system (e.g. trying to listen to music and the TV at the same time).
Briefly describe the function of the central executive.
Picking what needs to be paid attention to then coordinating that information to a slave system, connecting to the LTM through that slave system.
What are the 2 different parts of the phonological loop?
- Phonological store
- Articulatory loop
What does the phonological store do?
Holds auditory memory traces which decay after 2 seconds and is often referred to as the inner ear.
What does the articulatory loop do?
Processing the auditory memory traces and sustaining them by rehearsing them sub-vocally and is often referred to as the inner voice.
What three aspects is the visuospatial sketch pad divided into?
- Visual
- Spatial
- Kinaesthetic (tactile)
Briefly describe the function of the visuospatial sketch pad.
Processing and interpreting up to 3/4 items of visual and spatial information that can be used for things such as a jigsaw or having spatial awareness.
Briefly describe the function of the episodic buffer.
It allows information to pass from STM to LTM and vice versa whilst compiling information into patterns and stories to form episodic long term memories.
Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate 2 ‘evidence’ points.
P - KF’s case study supports
E - He suffered STM impairment due to a motorbike accident and had a digit span of one which suggests impairment in his phonological store but the visual memory was intact
E - This supports the existence of the stores being separate as everything else worked fine
P - Seltz and Schumann-Hengsteler (2000) supports
E - Ppts carried out simple maths sums (e.g. 3x4) that were disrupted by visual and sound interference tasks and they found that only sound tasks caused impairment
E - This suggests that visual and verbal information are processed separately and that two tasks in one slave system can cause impairment
Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate a high and low ‘how’ point.
P - Seltz and Schumann-Hengsteler (2000) have high validity
E - They used quantitative, measurable data with the correct completion of easy maths sums (e.g. 3x4)
E - Therefore can objectively analyse whether the visual or auditory interference task impaired their working memory to establish a cause and effect
P - KF’s case study has low reliability
E - Case studies use complex procedures with unique brain damaged ppts that has memory impairment
E - Therefore data cannot be accurately replicated due to it being unethical to reproduce due to the nature of impairment and procedures being so complex that data is hard to compare
Are there any applications?
P - Yes
E - It explains that impairment in the phonological loop makes it difficult to remember a sequence of information that can be read sub-vocally or heard aloud
E - Therefore has implications for dyslexics who have impaired phonological loops who may need learning support such as extra time in exams to compensate for this
Using the acronym ‘EACH’, evaluate 2 ‘credibility’ points.
P - The model is too simplistic
E - It explains very little about the processes and function of the LTM
E - And so it is limited as an explanation of memory as a whole which reduces its credibility
P - Low task validity
E - Experiments involve artificial tasks such as recalling a sequence of digits in the right order
E - Therefore this lacks mundane realism of what memory would be like and so reduces credibility of explaining memory in everyday life
