Topic 2- Application of WMM and Evaluation

Question 1

What has the WMM been used to suggest and give 4 ways how?

Answer 1

The WMM suggests practical applications; especially for children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) relating to impairments of working memory (WM).

Alloway (2006) recommends several methods to help children focus on the task at hand:

1. Use brief and simple instructions so they don’t forget what they’re doing.
2. Break instructions down into individual steps.
3. Frequently repeat instructions.
4. Ask the child to periodically repeat instructions.

Question 2

What else does the WMM help us to understand and how?

Answer 2

It is also suggested that the WMM may contribute to our
understanding of why some children have difficulty learning to
read.

For example, it may be that some of these children have a
deficiency in their phonological loop, which means they have
difficulty holding the words which they are reading

Question 3

What are 3 strengths of the WMM?

Answer 3

1. The model emphasises the flexible and multi-tasking nature of
   short-term memory processing. It has a number of strengths:
2. There is experimental support for our ability to store and
   process sensory input simultaneously.
3. There is also evidence for the distinction of the two ‘slave
   systems’ (the phonological loop and the visuo-spatial scratchpad)
   – at least, a distinction between auditory and visual processing.
   n The applications of the model above can also be quoted as
   strengths.

Question 4

What are 3 weaknesses of the WMM?

Answer 4

1. Limited evidence as yet as been produced to support the existence
   of the central executive. Its functions are assumed rather than
   established through experimental evidence. It is also suggested
   that there might be more than one central executive.
2. The model itself can be accused of presenting a circular argument.
   Where evidence supports one aspect of the model (e.g. the
   phonological loop) we claim it as support. Where it does not, we
   claim that it supports another aspect of the model (such as the
   central executive).
3. No conclusions are drawn about the effect of different types of
   processing on long-term memory storage or retrieval and the
   nature of the interface between WMM and LTM is not fully
   explained.

Question 5

What evidence can you use to support the overall model?

Answer 5

The evidence you have looked at which supports the different components of the model can be used as overall
support for the model.

Question 6

What do both the MSM and the WMM propse?

Answer 6

Both the MSM and the WMM propose a memory system based on
different types of stores.

Question 7

What does the LOP Model do? (2 points)

Answer 7

1. The Levels of Processing (LOP) evaluates both the WMM and the MSM using an alternative idea. It looks at the effect of the quality and
   quantity of processing of information on how well the information
   is stored.
2. So, instead of focusing on types of stores and their
   characteristics, it suggests a system where there is no distinction
   but an understanding that how well you deal with the information
   dictates how well you can recall it later. This is the basis of memory
   techniques such as mnemonics;

Question 8

What are 2 differences between WMM and MSM

Answer 8

1. The multi-store model focuses on memory structures (stores) and
   attempts to outline features, such as encoding, capacity and
   duration, of both STM and LTM.

The working memory model focuses on the multi-tasking and
flexibility of what Atkinson and Shiffrin had called STM.

2. Components of the working memory model are the central
   executive, the visuo-spatial scratchpad, the phonological loop and the episodic buffer.

Components of MSM are Sensory Register, STM and LTM