Memory (WMM)

Question 1

What are the parts of the WMM

Answer 1

Central executive 
Visio-spacial sketch pad 
Phonological loop
Episodic buffer
LTM

Question 2

What is the role of the central executive (CE)

Answer 2

.Monitors & coodinates mental functions in the WM
.Involved in planning, reasoning & decision
.directs attention to specific task
.has no real storage & very limited capacity

Question 3

What is the role of the Episodic buffer (EB)?

Answer 3

.Can hold both Visio-spacial sketch pad & phonological loop
.can combine it together either with each other or from LTM
.extra storage system
.limited capacity

Question 4

What is the role of the Visio-spacial sketchpad?

Answer 4

.”Inner eye” codes for visual info

.acts as inner scribe & visual cache

Question 5

What is the role of the phonological loop?

Answer 5

.codes speech sounds
.”inner voice” - Articulatory control
.”Inner ear” - Phonological store
.limited storage capacity

Question 6

Baddley & Hitch (1974) stated…

Answer 6

.STM was not just one store
.if you do duel task performance and they both visual takes, you preform them less well then if you do them seperatly
.if you do 2 things at same time and 1 visual, 1 involves sound, then there is no interference

Question 7

+One assumption that WMM suggests is that STM is more complex then MSM suggests, for instance…

Answer 7

.Brain damage case study of KF (1970)
.His digit span in STM impaired, auditory info damage was much greater then visual
.STM not unitary
.KF impaired for auditory stimuli limited to visual info and not meaningful sounds suggesting damage restricted to phonological loop
. Also there is proof in PET scans with the fact different areas of the brain are active while doing visual and verbal tasks

Question 8

+An assumption the WMM makes is that the CE can duel task…

Answer 8

.Proved by Letter F task (Baddeley et Al, (1975)
.pp given visual tracking task, same time either asked to
A. Describe all the angles on the letter F
Or
B. Preform a verbal task
. F- difficulty doing A & tracking task, but not B & tracking task
.Both A and tracking = Visio-spacial sketchpad, B doesn’t
.Shows CE can preform duel task performance effect

Question 9

-WMM assumes CE is a single component…

Answer 9

.However Brain damage case study EVR had a cerebral tumour removed
. Preformed well on reasoning tests (suggesting CE was intact) he had poor decision making skills
.indicating CE not fully intact
.suggesting CE more complex then the WMM makes out, maybe having more components to it.