The Working Memory Model

Question 1

Proposed and when?

Answer 1

• Baddeley and Hitch

- 1974

Question 2

What did the WMM question?

Answer 2

• Existence of a single STM store

Question 3

Working memory STM

Answer 3

• Active store

- Holding several pieces of info while they were being worked on

Question 4

Structure of WMM

Answer 4

• Central executive
• Visuospatial sketch pad
• Episodic buffer
• Phonological loop
• Long term memory

Question 5

Central executive

Answer 5

• Filter - determine which info received by sense organs is attended to
• Directs it into the 2 slave systems
• Limited capacity

Question 6

Central Executive - research

Baddeley

Answer 6

• Baddeley - 1996
• Ppts = difficult to generate lists of random numbers while switching between pressing numbers and letters on a keyboard (dual-task)
  = 2 tasks competing for CE resources
  = Limited capacity

Question 7

Central Executive - research

D’Esposito

Answer 7

D’Esposito - 1995

• fMRI scans
• Prefrontal cortex (problem solving + higher order thinking) activated when verbal + spatial tasks performed at the same time
• Brain area = CE workings

Question 8

CE - Evaluation

Answer 8

• Little known - competing for resources it 2 tasks cannot be performed together
• Controlling attention rather than being a ‘memory store’

Question 9

Phonological loop

Answer 9

• Deals with auditory information
• Limited capacity - info amount?
• Confusion - similar sounding words

Question 10

PL components

Answer 10

• 2
• Primary acoustic
• Articulatory process

Question 11

Primary acoustic

Answer 11

• Inner ear

- Stores words recently heard

Question 12

Articulatory process

Answer 12

• Inner voice

- Keeps info in PL - sub-vocal repetition of info

Question 13

PL - Research

T & G

Answer 13

• Trojani and Grossi (1995)
• SC - Brain damage affecting functioning of his PL but not his VSS
  = Separate system

Question 14

PL - Research

B

Answer 14

• Word length effect
• Ppts recalled shorter words in serial order than longer words
  = Supports capacity of PL - how long it takes to say words

Question 15

PL - evaluation

Answer 15

• PET scans = different brain areas activated in visual and verbal tasks
• PL and VSS - separate systems?
• PL associated with evolution of language - remember vocalisations and helped learning of complex language

Question 16

Visuospatial sketchpad (VSS)

Answer 16

• Inner eye
• Temporary store - visual and spatial info
• Helps to navigate around environment
• Info coded and rehearsed - mental pics

Question 17

VSS - Research

Logie

Answer 17

Logie - 1995
VSS Sub-divided;
- Visual cache - stores visual material - form and colour
- Inner scribe - spatial relationship + transfers info in the visual cache to the CE.

Question 18

VSS - Research

Gathercole and Baddeley

Answer 18

Gathercole and Baddeley
- Difficult to track moving light and describing angles of letter F - both involve VSS
- Tracking light and completing verbal tasks = VSS and PL
= VSS - separate slave system

Question 19

VSS - Research

Klauer and Zhao

Answer 19

Klauer and Zhao
- Interference between 2 visual tasks than visual and spatial tasks
= Separate visual cache and inner scribe

Question 20

VSS - Evaluation

Answer 20

• PET scans = brain activation in left - visual tasks
  + brain activation in right - spatial info
  = Separate VC and IS
• Studies of VSS and PL - lack ecological validity

Question 21

Episodic Buffer

Answer 21

• Baddeley 2000
• 3rd slave system
• Explain how possible to temporarily store info from CE, PL, VSS and LTM.

Question 22

EB - Research

Alkhalifa

Answer 22

• Patient - severely impaired LTM
• STM capacity - 25 prose items
  = Existence of EB - hold items in WM until they are recalled

Question 23

Evaluation of WMM

Answer 23

• Most psychologists use WM as it is more plausible
• Explains STM in terms of both temporary storage and active processing
• WMM attempts to explain how memory functions
• Account for individual differences in memory