The working memory model

Question 1

What is the working memory model?

Answer 1

A representation of STM

Question 2

What is the central executive?

Answer 2

Coordinates the activities of the three subsystems, and allocates processing resources to those activities

Question 3

What is the phonological loop?

Answer 3

Processes information, in terms of sound- divided into phonological store (hear) and articulatory process (speak)

Question 4

What is the visuo-spatial sketchpad?

Answer 4

Processes visual and spatial information

Question 5

What is the episodic buffer?

Answer 5

Brings together material from the other subsystems into a single memory. Links working memory to LTM

Question 6

Who created the WMM?

Answer 6

Baddeley and Hitch

Question 7

What is the capacity of the CE?

Answer 7

Very limited

Question 8

What is the capacity of the VSS?

Answer 8

LImited- around 3-4 objects

Question 9

What is the phonological loop?

Answer 9

Stores the words we hear

Question 10

What is the articulatory process?

Answer 10

Allows maintenance rehearsal. Capacity is around 2 seconds

Question 11

Who said the VSS was divided into 2 subsystems?

Answer 11

Logie

Question 12

What are the 2 subsystems of the VSS?

Answer 12

• Visual cache (stores visual data)
• Inner scribe (records the arrangement of objects in the visual field)

Question 13

What are the strengths of the WMM?

Answer 13

• Clinical evidence
• Dual-task performance

Question 14

What are the limitations of the WMM?

Answer 14

• Clinical evidence is not perfect
• Nature of the central executive
• Studies are lab-based and highly controlled

Question 15

STRENGTH- Clinical evidence

Answer 15

I= support from Shallice and Warrington’s case study of KF
D= after his brain injury, KF has poor STM ability for auditory information but could process visual information normally. Recall of letters and digits was better when he read them. KF’s phonological loop was damaged but his visuo-spatial sketchpad was intact
E= supports existence of separate visual and acoustic memory stores

Question 16

LIMITATION- Clinical evidence is not perfect

Answer 16

I= clinical evidence may not be accurate
D= psychologists do not know whether KF had any cognitive impairments before the injury. E.g: trauma from the motorcycle accident may have affected his cognitive performance
E= challenged evidence from clinical studies of people with brain injuries that may have affected many different systems

Question 17

STRENGTH- Dual-task performance

Answer 17

I= dual-task performance studies support the separate existence of the VSS
D= when Baddeley et al’s participants carried out a visual and verbal task at the same time, performance on each was similar to when they carried out tasks separately. When tasks were the same (2 visual), performance declined, as both tasks compete for the same subsystem
E= shows there must be a separate subsystem (VSS) that processes visual input

Question 18

LIMITATION- Nature of the central executive

Answer 18

I= lack of clarity over the nature of the central executive
D= Baddeley said the CE is most important but least understood. CE needs to be more clearly specified than just ‘attention’. Some believe CE consists of subsystems
E= CE is an unsatisfactory component, which challenges the integrity of the WMM

Question 19

LIMITATION- Dual-task studies are lab-based and highly artificial

Answer 19

I= dual-task studies use artificial materials, and are highly controlled
D= artificial materials do not reflect how we use memory in real life. Similar artificial tasks are used in supporting studies
E= challenges the validity of the WMM