Models of Memory Flashcards
Describe the multi-store memory
Information from environment enters sensory register; if attention is payed passes into STM; maintenance rehearsal loop keeps it in STM ; prolonged rehearsal keeps it in LTM; retrieval brings it back to STM
What is the encoding, capacity and duration for the sensory register?
E: 5 senses
C: Large
D: 0.5 seconds
Describe the working model of memory
Only shows STM
Information enters central executive into episodic buffer ; either passes to visiospacial sketch pad (split into visual cache and inner scribe) or phonological loop (split into phonological store and articulatory control system)
What is the role of the central executive?
Figured out which information to pay attention; processes sensory modality and allocates tasks to the slave system (VSS and PL); also makes decisions and inhibits irrelevant info
What is the capacity of CE?
4 chunks of info which is stored in episodic buffer; means multi tasking is difficult
What is the capacity of VSS?
~3-4 items
What is the role of the VSS?
Visual and spatial info; split into:
- visual cache: stored visual data
- inner scribe: stores the arrangement of objects in the visual field
What is the capacity if the phonological loop?
2 seconds, in phonological store
What is the role of the phonological loop?
Processed verbal information, split into:
- phonological store (inner ear) = stores the words you hear
- articulatory control system = allows maintenance rehearsal to keep sounds in working memory
What is the role of the episodic buffer?
- ‘Holds’ info for the central executive
- collects info processed in a time sequence
- links to LTM to retrieve info + send ‘episodes’ to be stored
Give strengths for the MSM
+ Research support - HM case study; had brain surgery which removed hippocampus, STM remained intact but could no longer make LTMs
- shows STM and LTM are separate stores
Give limitations of MSM
– Oversimplified
- other research refutes this; Shallice and Warrington studied a patient w/ amnesia —> found STM for digits was poor when read verbally but better visually
- suggests MSM may be too simplified, may not be a unitary store
Lab studies
- use artificial tasks like remembering lists of words or digits
- lacks mundane realism; day to day memory is much more complex than this , reduces validity
Give strengths for the WMM
+ Shallice & Warrington - studies KF; STM for digits was poor when read verbally but better when read visually
- shows verbal & visual recall as separate stores
+ Baddeley - found ppts performed worse when asked to complete dual visual tasks than one visual and one verbal
+ Brain scans found different brain areas were active when ppts were given phonological and visiospacial tasks (Bunge et al 2000)
Give a limitation of the WMM
– Oversimplified - Baddeley says CE is “most important but least understood component”; suggests it is a limited explanation
