Memory: The Working model of memory Flashcards
What is the WMM?
An explanation for STM based on 4 components – some with storage capacity
Who proposed the WMM?
Baddeley + Hitch (1974)
What did Baddeley + Hitch base their model from?
Studies that used interference tasks
What are the 4 main components in the WMM?
Central executive
Episodic Buffer
Phonological loop
Visuo-spatial sketchpad
What does the central executive do?
4 points
-Supervises + coordinates info to + from the slave systems.
-It can perform dual tasks (audio + visual/spatial).
-Decides which pieces of info to focus on also deals with cognitive tasks such as mental arithmetic + problem solving.
-Very limited capacity.
What does the episodic buffer do?
A temporary store that integrates info from the components + maintains a sense of time so that events can occur in a continuing sequence.
Can hold info from LTM temporarily.
What does the phonological loop do?
Encodes speech + sound.
Involves maintenance rehearsal
How many subdivisions of the phonological loop are there + what are they called?
2
The phonological store (inner ear)
The articulatory process (inner voice)
What does the phonological store (inner ear) do?
Linked to speech perception + stores info in speech-based form (e.g. spoken words) from 1-2 secs
What does the articulatory process (inner voice) do?
Linked to speech production – subconsciously rehearses words that are heard or seen (from the phonological store) by playing them as a loop. It may also store this info+ has a limited capacity
What does the visuo-spatial sketchpad do?
Encodes visual info
How many subdivisions of the visuo-spatial are there + what are they called?
2
Visual cache (stores info)
Inner scribe (spatial relations)
What does the visual cache do?
Temporarily stores form + colour info
What does the inner scribe do?
Stores the arrangement of objects in the visual field
What did Baddeley + Hitch base their model from?
Studies that used interference tasks
What are the 4 AO3 points for the MSMM
-Oversimplification
-Conflicting evidence
+Practical applications
+Developed based on evidence fro lab experiments
(-AO3) How can the MSMM be regarded as an oversimplification?
The WMM oversimplifies the complexity of the cognitive processes involved in working memory e.g. it doesn’t account for the role of attention in the selection + processing of info o the role of LTM in maintenance + manipulation of info
(-AO3) What is the conflicting evidence for the MSMM?
Results from lab experiments researching the WMM will often have low ecological validity as repetition tasks are arguably not representative of our everyday activities.
(+AO3) What are the practical applications for the MSMM?
The WMM has practical applications in fields lie education + clinical psychology e.g, it’s been used to develop interventions to improve WM capacity of children with learning difficulties.
(+AO3) How is the MSMM being based off of evidence of lab studies an strength?
Confounding variables can be carefully controlled + replicated .
