memory - working memory model Flashcards
who came up with the working memory model?
Baddeley and Hitch (1974)
what are the components of the WMM?
central executive, phonological loop, visuo spatial sketchpad, episodic buffer
discuss the role of the central executive
has a “supervisory” role. it monitors incoming data and divides our limited attention and allocated tasks to slave systems. It has limited processing capacity and doesnt store information
discuss the role of the phonological loop
deals with auditory information and is divided into the phonological store, which stores words you hear, and the articulatory process with allows maintenance rehearsal
discuss the role of the visuo-spatial sketchpad
stores visual and/or spatial information. Baddeley(2003) stated it has a capacity of 3 or 4. Logie(1995) subdivides the VSS into the visual cache, which stores visual data, and the inner scribe which records the arrangement of objects in the visual field
discuss the role of the episodic buffer
temporary store for information, integrating the visual, spatial and verbal information processed by other stores and maintaining a sense of time sequencing. Baddeley(2012) stated it has a capacity of four chunks.
discuss the clinical evidence as a strength of the working memory model
there is research support from Shallice and Warrington(1970) and their patient KF. KF had poor STM ability for auditory information but could process visual information normally. This means KF’s phonological loop was damaged but his visual spatial sketchpad was intact. This shows findings strongly supports the existence of separate stores.
discuss a counterpoint to clinical evidence as a strength of the working memory model
it is unclear whether KF had any other cognitive impairments which could affect his performance on the memory tasks. As his incident was caused by a motorcycle, the trauma involved may have affected his cognitive performance apart from any brain injury. This challenges evidence that comes from clinical studies as brains can be affected by many different systems
discuss dual-task performance as a strength of the working memory model
dual task performance support the existence of the visuo-spatial sketchpad. Baddeley(1975) participants carried out a visual and verbal task at the same time, their performance on each was similar. however when both tasks were visual, or both were verbal, performance declined. This shows the same tasks compete for the same slave subsystem however threes no competition when they are different. This shows there must be a different slave system that processes visual and another for verbal
discuss the nature of the central executive as a limitation of the working memory model
there is a lack of clarity over the nature of the central executive. Baddeley92003) stated that the central executive is the most important but least understood component of WMM. The central executive needs to be more clearly specified as some psychologists believe the CE consists of separate subcomponents. This means the CE is a unsatisfactory component of the WMM.
