The working memory model

Question 1

Working memory model

Answer 1

• A representation of short-term memory (STM)
• It suggest that the STM is a dynamic processor of different types of information using different subunits coordinated by a central decision making system

Question 2

Central executive

Answer 2

• Is the attention controller with the capacity to focus, divide and switch your attention between tasks
• Monitors overall memory system
• Acts as an information storage system

Question 3

Phonological loop

Answer 3

• It deals with auditory information
• It is divided into the articulatory process and the phonological store
• The articulatory process allows maintenance rehearsal, repeating sounds or words over and over again to keep them in the phonological store also known as sub vocalise
• The phonological store stores auditory information.

Question 4

Visuo spatial sketchpad

Answer 4

• It can temporarily store visual and spatial information however it only has a limited capacity to remember 3 to 4 objects
• It is divided into the visual cache and the inner scribe
• The visual cache stores visual data
• The inner scribe records the arrangement of objects in the visual field

Question 5

Episodic buffer

Answer 5

• It is a temporary store that integrates the acoustic, visual and spatial information processed by other subsystems
• It also maintains a sense of time sequencing, it is stored by episodic memories

Question 6

Strength of Working memory model

Answer 6

• One strength is that there is research evidence to support the WMM. Baddeley and Hitch conducted a dual tasks study
• When the participants had to process two visual tasks simultaneously, tracking a dot and drawing a capital F in their mind, they struggled. However then they had to do the tracking tasks with an auditory tasks, they had no issue
• This shows that there are two separate stores for visual and auditory information
• The experiment demonstrates that in the STM there is a limited capacity for processing visual information, and supports the idea that in the WMM there are two separate processing systems for visual and auditory information.

Question 7

Weakness of Working memory model

Answer 7

• One weakness is that the WMM doesn’t explain how the central executive interacts with other stores
• Eslinger and Damasio studied a patient called EVR who had a brain tumour removed. He was able to perform well on tasks requiring reasoning however not tasks that required decision making
• This suggests that the central executive is not one store but likely multiple smaller stores that have separate making and reasoning functions. The WMM doesn’t explain how these stores interact with each other