The working memory model Flashcards
Researchers
Baddeley and Hitch (1974) claimed STM must be made up of several components all of which are involved in processes other than simple storage.
What does WMM refer to?
Short term memory (ONLY)- it is a workspace where a variety of operations (auditory and visual) can be carried out.
Briefly describe the working memory model. (4 marks)
The working memory model proposes that the short term memory isn’t unitary, but is split into separate stores. One store is the central executive which is involved in attention and higher mental processes. There is also the episodic buffer which acts as a temporary back-up store for the central executive. A third store is the phonological loop, associated with sound based information. Finally, there is the visuo-spatial sketchpad, associated with visual information.
Claire can search through family photos on her laptop and listen to music at the same time. However, she finds it difficult to read her e-mails when talking to a friend on the phone.
Use your knowledge of the WMM to explain why Claire is able to perform the first two tasks at the same time, but finds it difficult to perform the second two tasks at the same time.
Claire is able to perform the first two tasks at the same time, as, in dual-task performance you can complete two tasks at the same time if they are in different slave systems. Due to Claire looking at family photos (visual information) being in the VSS and listening to music being in the phonological loop, she can do both at the same time. However her difficulty in the second two tasks come from the fact that reading emails, using the articulatory loop, and talking to a friend on the phone both use the phonological loop, meaning dual task performance cannot be achieved.
Central Executive
Overall control of working memory- slave driver.
Most important and most flexible component.
Capacity: Limited, but process information from any sensory systems
Responsibilities: Monitors info. coming in from different sources. Decides what to pay attention to. Allocates tasks to the slave systems.
The phonological loop
Deals with auditory information (what you hear).
Duration= approx. 2 seconds.
Has two components:
Phonological store which holds words that are heard.
Articulatory loop which allows maintenance rehearsal (ie. repeating words in your head- your ‘inner voice’)
Phonological loop: word-length effect
Capacity of the phonological loop is determined by the length of time it takes to say the words.
If the word is polysyllabic it is harder to remember.
Hard to remember (store) a list of long words because the rehearsal of the word takes longer than 2 seconds.
The visuo-spatial sketchpad
Stores visual information for when it is required- sometimes referred to as ‘the inner eye’.
Capacity -> approximately 3-4 objects
Two sub-systems:
1. Visual cache: stores visual data (things you see)
2. Inner scribe: records arrangement of objects in the visual field (spatial information)
The visuo-spatial sketchpad: dual- task performance
Doing two things at once.
You can only complete two tasks at once when they use two different slave systems eg. you can’t text and drive.
Episodic buffer
Added to the model in 2000.
Will process the information from all of these components and integrate it.
Links working memory to LTM and other cognitive processes (eg. perception)
Stronger link to LTM
AO3: Clinical evidence
P- There is clinical evidence to support the WMM.
Ev- Shallice and Warrington (1970) presented the case study of patient KF, who, after brain damage, had poor STM ability for verbal information but could process visual information. This suggests that just his phonological loop had been damaged leaving other areas of STM memory intact.
Ex- As a result, this case study supports the existence of separate visual and acoustic stores.
CP: Research methods
P- Research based on a single case study, which may be problematic
Ev- A case study will concern a unique, single individual’s experience, who potentially has trauma that not every person would have
Ex- means that experience described may not be generalisable to other people, weakening support for the WMM.
AO3: Brain scanning
P- irrespective of this, there is further research evidence using cognitive neuroscience to support the principles of WMM
Ev- Braver et al (1997) carried out research that involved the central executive during a brain scan. They found greater activity in the left prefrontal cortex, and activity increased during a harder task.
Ex- Applicable to WMM theory as it supports that as the demands on the CE increase, it has to work harder to fulfil it’s function, supporting the description/ features of the CE.
AO3: Lack of clarity
P- Critics would argue that this component of the WMM is unexplained and unsatisfactory.
Ev- Alan Baddeley (2003) recognised this when he said ‘the central executive is the most important but the least understood component of working memory’. Some psychologists also believe it may consist of separate components.
Ex- This suggests that the central executive needs to be more clearly specified, meaning the theory has not been explained properly
