The working memory model Flashcards
What is the working memory model?
A representation of STM
What is the central executive?
Coordinates the activities of the three subsystems, and allocates processing resources to those activities
What is the phonological loop?
Processes information, in terms of sound- divided into phonological store (hear) and articulatory process (speak)
What is the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
Processes visual and spatial information
What is the episodic buffer?
Brings together material from the other subsystems into a single memory. Links working memory to LTM
Who created the WMM?
Baddeley and Hitch
What is the capacity of the CE?
Very limited
What is the capacity of the VSS?
LImited- around 3-4 objects
What is the articulatory process?
Allows maintenance rehearsal. Capacity is around 2 seconds
Who said the VSS was divided into 2 subsystems?
Logie
What are the 2 subsystems of the VSS?
- Visual cache (stores visual data)
- Inner scribe (records the arrangement of objects in the visual field)
What are the strengths of the WMM?
- Clinical evidence
- Dual-task performance
What are the limitations of the WMM?
- Clinical evidence is not perfect
- Nature of the central executive
- Studies are lab-based and highly controlled
STRENGTH- Clinical evidence
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
LIMITATION- Clinical evidence is flawed
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
STRENGTH- Dual-task performance
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
LIMITATION- Nature of the central executive
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
LIMITATION- Dual-task studies are lab-based and highly artificial
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
