the working memory model Flashcards
the working memory model was created by
Baddeley and Hitch
why was it created
said the Multi-store model was too simplistic
what does it directly challenge
the concept of a single unitary store for short term memories
central executive function
directs information to the slave systems, problem solving/decision making , most important component - drives the system
evidence for central executive
MRI scans used to see which parts of the brain were most active when participants were doing two tasks
the same brain areas (prefrontal cortex) were active in either dual or single condition
but there were significantly more activation in dual condition - the CE is therefore working harder
the phonological loop
stores a limited number of speech-based sounds for brief periods
the phonological loop consists of two components
phonological store (inner ear) - allows acoustically coded items to be stored for 1-2 seconds
articulatory control process (inner voice) - allows sub-vocal repetition of the items stored in phonological store
investigating the phonological loop: the word length effect meaning
the word length effect is short words are recalled better than long words
the word length effect procedure
presented words for very brief periods of time
one condition - 5 words, one syllable
two condition - 5 polysyllabic words
results of the word length effect, what does this show
participants remembered short words better - the word length effect
this shows the limited capacity of the articulatory process (2 seconds) so if the word is longer it takes longer to rehearse so we cannot rehearse as many long words as short words that take less time to rehearse
articulatory suppression
Baddeley found the word length effect disappeared under articulatory suppression (given a task that would make use of articulatory loop eg. saying lalala)
this means that the word length effect depends on having a verbal rehearsal system (articulatory process)
the visuo-spatial sketchpad
holds visual (what things look like) and spatial (relationship between things) information for a very short time
you use it when planning a spatial task i.e going from your home to school
visuo-spatial sketchpad divided into two components
visual cache and inner scribe
visual cache and inner scribe
visual cache - stores visual data
inner scribe - records the arrangement of objects in the visual field
the visuo-spatial sketchpad study
participants given a visual tracking test: following a spot of light with a pointer as it moved round a circular path
at the same time given one of two tasks:
1. describe the angles of the letter F
2. to perform a verbal task
condition 1 involves visuospatial sketchpad for both tasks
condition 2 involves visuospatial sketchpad (to trace the line) and the phonological loop (to perform the verbal task)
results of the study
participants found it difficult to track the spot of light and describe the corners, but found it easier to do the tracking task at the same time as performing the verbal task
this supports the existence of a separate slave system (visuospatial sketchpad) that deals with information
it also shows that the VSS has limited capacity
episodic buffer
general storage space for both acoustic and visual information
integrates information from the centra executive to the phonological loop, the visual sketchpad and the LTM
has limited capacity
STRENGTHS OF WMM
case study
KF - brain damaged patient could recall visual but not verbal information immediately after presentation, supports WMM claim that separate short term stores manage short term phonological and visual memories
2 general strengths
makes sense of a range of tasks - verbal reasoning, comprehension, reading, problem solving, and visual and spatial processing
high internal validity - model was developed from lab experiments - variables are carefully controlled to produce valid results
WEAKNESSES
low ecological validity - may not relate to real life as the tasks are not representative of our everyday activities eg repeating words
