The working memory model Flashcards
Who proposed the working memory model?
Baddeley and Hitch (1974)
What are the 4 components of the WMM?
- Central executive
- Phonological loop
- Visuo-spatial sketchpad
- Episodic buffer
What is the function of the central executive?
- Decides which of the two slave subsystems information belongs in
- Controls our attention
What is the function of the phonological loop?
Processes auditory information
What are the two components of the phonological loop?
- Articulatory loop
- Phonological store
What is the function of the articulatory loop?
Rehearses auditory information to keep info in the phonological store
Known as the ‘inner voice’
What is the function of the phonological store?
Stores auditory information briefly (2 secs)
Known as the ‘inner ear’
What is the function of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
Processes visual and spatial information
The visual cache is part of the VSSP. What is its function?
It stores visual data, such as images
The inner scribe is part of the VSSP. What is its function?
Records the arrangement of objects and allows the rehearsal of visual & spatial info to maintain it in the visual cache
What is the capacity of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
3 - 4 items
What is the function of the episodic buffer?
Integrates acoustic, visual and spatial information processed by other subsystems and compiles this information into patterns and stories to form episodic LTM’s
Can a slave subsystem carry out two tasks at once?
No they can only carry out one task at a time
Think about your home and count all of the windows. Now think about the how the different components of working memory were used to complete that task
1) Recall from LTM your home so that it can be temporarily stored and manipulated in your working memory by the episodic buffer
2) Use VSSP, specifically the visual cache to see your home and where the windows are
3) Use phonological loop, specifically the articulatory loop (inner voice) to count the windows and phonological store (inner ear) to keep count of where you were up to
4) The central executive would have allocated these tasks to the appropriate slave subsystems and controlled your attention
