Memory: The working memory model

Question 1

Who proposed the working memory model?

Answer 1

Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

Question 2

When is working memory (STM) used?

Answer 2

Used when working on a complex task which requires you to store information as you go along.

Question 3

What are the four components of the working memory model?

Answer 3

Central executive
Visuospatial sketchpad
Phonological loop
Episodic buffer

Question 4

Describe the role of the phonological loop

Answer 4

Responsible for processing and storing sound based information.

Question 5

What are the subdivisions of the phonological loop?

Answer 5

• Articulatory control process
• Phonological store

Question 6

Describe the articulatory control process.

Answer 6

Inner voice: rehearses verbal sounds.

Question 7

Describe the phonological store

Answer 7

Inner ear: receives and stores sound information. Focus on speech perception.

Question 8

Describe the visuospatial sketchpad.

Answer 8

Inner eye: Responsible for visual information and spatial information

Question 9

Describe the central executive

Answer 9

Controls to PL and VSS
Allocates to slave systems
Decides what we pay attention to

Question 10

Describe the episodic buffer (added in year 2000)

Answer 10

• Acts as a backup store
• Integrates information from other components of WMM and LTM
• Store and process visual and verbal STM

Question 11

Evaluations

Answer 11

+ KF case study
+ Brain scanning
+ Real world application
+ Baddeley dual task study
- Problems with research

Question 12

+ KF case study

Answer 12

• Motorcycle accident resulting in damage to STM specifically verbal recall
• Could remember visual images but not sounds
• At least two components to STM

Question 13

+ Brain scanning support for separate components of the PL

Answer 13

• Paulesu et al (1993)
• Volunteers in PET scan to measure blood flow in the brain whilst they performed memory tasks
• One designed to use inner voice and inner ear (memorise a series of letters)
• One designed to only use inner voice (making judgements about whether letters rhymed).
• Articulatory control process located in Broca’s area, phonological store = different part of the brain activated.

Question 14

+ Dual task studies

Answer 14

• Baddeley
• visual + verbal task = similar performance on each
• visual + visual or verbal + verbal = worse performance as competition for slave systems

Question 15

+ Real world application

Answer 15

• Children with ADHD have impaired WM
• WMM has led to techniques to increase focus e.g. breaking down instructions and asking child to repeat back

Question 16

• Problems with research

Answer 16

• Artificial tasks in dual task studies + demand characteristics
• Case studies not generalisable + no knowledge of memory prior to damage