THE WORKING MEMORY MODEL Flashcards
burger for Central executive (working model of memory)
B: Central Executive (CE): allocates tasks to slave systems; no storage capacity.
U: Acts as the attention mechanism, coordinating cognitive processes.
R: Supported by dual-task studies (Hitch & Baddeley); slower performance indicates CE involvement.
G: Strength: Essential for understanding how different tasks are managed simultaneously.
E: Important for grasping the complexity of cognitive functions.
R: Weakness: CE is poorly defined; evidence from EVR shows its complexity isn’t fully represented.
Burger for phonological loop (working model of memory)
B: Phonological Loop (PL): preserves auditory information order.
U: Comprised of phonological store (inner ear) and articulatory process (inner voice).
R: Supported by studies on verbal material processing (KF and SC); shows effects of damage to PL.
G: Strength: Explains how we process verbal information and the role of rehearsal.
E: Crucial for understanding auditory memory functions.
R: Weakness: Does not account for visual information processing.
Burger for visuo-spatial sketchpad (working model of memory)
B: Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad (VSS): processes visual and spatial tasks.
U: Contains visual cache (form/color) and inner scribe (spatial relations).
R: Supported by damage evidence (LH; Farah et al.); shows specific spatial processing issues.
G: Strength: Highlights importance of visual and spatial information management.
E: Key for understanding tasks requiring visual manipulation.
R: Weakness: Limited understanding of how visual and spatial information integrates with other systems.
Burger for episodic buffer (working model of memory)
B: Episodic Buffer: records events as they happen; links working memory to LTM.
U: Acts as a temporary storage system integrating information from various sources.
R: Supported by the word-length effect; demonstrates capacity for different types of information.
G: Strength: Provides a comprehensive understanding of memory integration.
E: Essential for linking short-term experiences with long-term memory.
R: Weakness: More research needed to clarify its precise functions and mechanisms.
