The working memory model Flashcards
Who developed the working memory model?
Baddeley and Hitch.
Very briefly outline principle of the working memory model.
STM has different stores organised by the central executive.
Outline the function of the central executive. What is the size of its capacity?
Directs attention to tasks. Monitors and coordinates all functions in working memory. Very small capacity for data.
What is the function of the phonological loop? Capacity?
Codes speech sounds in working memory using maintenance rehearsal. Limited capacity.
What are the functions of the 2 sub-divisions of the phonological loop?
Phonological store: holds words you hear.
Articulatory process: words seen/heard are silently repeated (maintenance rehearsal)
What is the function of the visuo-spatial sketchpad? Capacity?
Codes visual information - separate objects and how they are arranged. Used for spatial tasks (room to room in house). Relatively limited capacity.
What are the functions of the 2 sub-divisions of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
Visual cache: info about form & colour.
Inner scribe: stores arrangement of objects in visual field.
(Could be AO3 - this was added by Baddeley after the initial model was finished) What are the functions of the episodic buffer and how does it work?
General store - any info. Extra storage ‘overflow’. Maintains sense of time sequencing. Sends info to LTM.
(AO3) What research supports the WMM?
KF brain damage case study. Short-term forgetting was far worse for for auditory than visual information. Auditory problems limited to verbal material (words, digits) but not meaningful sounds (phone ringing). Suggests damage limited to phonological loop. Supports idea of separate auditory and visual systems.
(AO3) What is the problem with using a case study here?
Brain damage traumatic. May affect ability to do certain tasks that appear to display bad memory. Case studies are unique individuals. Very low population validity. Needs more generalisable evidence.
(AO3) What is the key issue with the working memory model according to critics?
Concept of central executive too vague - model over-relies on it. Essentially same as ‘attention’ in MSM. Case study showed patient can reason, but not make decisions. Central executive likely to be several components.
(AO3) How can the reductionist approach be used to evaluate the WMM?
Breaks down memory into most basic components to develop applicable model - clear and precise. However, may have oversimplified complexity of working memory. Central executive too vague. Influence of LTM under-exaggerated.
