The Workjng Memory Model Flashcards
What is the working memory model?
An explanation on how the STM is organised and how it functions.
What does the central executive of the working memory model do?
Monitors incoming data, makes decisions and direct information to the two slave systems. It needs to do this as it has a very limited capacity.
What is the phonological loop?
One of the slave systems
It deals with auditory information and has two subcomponents. One allows for maintenance rehearsal and the other stores acoustic items (the words that you hear)
What is the Visuo-spatial sketchpad?
This deals with visual and spatial tasks and also has two sub commandments.
One deals with the arrangement of objects in the visual field and the other stores visual data (such a shape and colour)
What is the capacity of the phonological loop?
The capacity of loop is two seconds worth of what you say
What is the capacity of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
3 to 4 objects
What is the episodic buffer in the working memory model?
This integrates the information from all other components and send the information to the long-term memory store.
What is the capacity of the episodic buffer?
Around four chunks
What are the strengths of the working memory model?
Case study of KF- amnesic patient who had suffered brain damage from a motorbike accident. They found KF STM of forgetting auditory information was much higher than visual e.g could not remember a list of digits read to him but remembered more when he saw them himself. Shows that phonological loop and Visuo-spatial sketchpad are different stores
Support from brain scans- one study had participants complete tasks involving the central executive during a brain scan. The scans showed a greater activity in the left pre-frontal cortex which increased as the task became harder. This suggests that when the demand of the central executive increase it has to work harder to fulfil the function of directing the systems.
What is the limitation of the working memory model?
There has been little research investigating the central executive, even though it is the most important component. Some psychologist believe it may consist of separate subcomponents.
What is the limitation of the working memory model?
There has been little research investigating the central executive, even though it is the most important component. Some psychologist believe it may consist of separate subcomponents.
