Working Memory Model

Question 1

Baddeley and Hitch (1974)

Answer 1

• Believed that memory is not just one store but a number of different stores.
• Focused on STM only and believed it was not a single store (like MSM)
• Looks at the ‘mental space’ that is active when we are temporarily storing and manipulating information

Question 2

Central Executive

Answer 2

• Limited capacity
• determines how resources are allocated
• involves reasoning and decision making tasks
• Also select strategies but can only do a limited number of things at the same time.

Question 3

Phonological Loop

Answer 3

• Limited capacity
• deals with auditory info + preserves word order - inner ear
• codes acoustically
• Baddeley (1986) subdivided it into
• Phonological store holds words heard
• articulatory process holds words heard/ seen and silently repeated (looped) like an inner voice.
• Kind of like maintenance rehearsal as capacity is 2 secs.

Question 4

Episodic Buffer

Answer 4

• Baddeley added this as he realised model needed a more general store.
• Temporary store for info as it integrates visual, special and verbal information.
• maintains time sequencing- recording events
• Buffer extra storage system but with limited capacity of 4 chunks
• Links working memory to LTM

Question 5

Visuospatial-spatial sketchpad

Answer 5

• Visual/spatial info stored here- inner eye
• Limited capacity 3-4 things
• Logie (1995)