working memory model Flashcards
what is the working memory model?
an explanation of short term memory only. the focus is on how we actively process information rather than simply where we store information.
7 parts of the working memory model (as in diagram)
central executive, visuospatial sketchpad, episodic buffer, long-term memory, phonological loop, (articulatory control system, phonological store)
what is the central executive?
the component that coordinates the activities of the three subsystems in memory, it also allocated processing resources to these activities.
capacity of the central executive
very limited
what is the phonological loop?
this deals with auditory information, both written and spoken material. it is divided into subsections
what is the coding of the phonological loop?
acoustic
what are the two subsections in the phonological loop?
•the phonological store (inner ear)
•the articulatory process (inner voice)
what is the phonological store?
this stores words you hear (like your inner ears)
what is the articulatory process?
this allows maintenance rehearsal (repeating sounds or words in a ‘loop’) (like an inner voice)
what is the capacity of the articulatory process?
two seconds worth of what you can say
what is the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
the component that processes visual and spatial information in a mental space often called our ‘inner eye’, this is also divided into subdivisions.
what is the coding of the central executive?
modality- free
what is the coding of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
visually
what is the capacity of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
3 or 4 items
what are the two sections of the visuo-spatial sketchpad
•the visual cache
•the inner scribe
what does the visual cache do?
stores visual data (images)
what does the inner scribe do?
it records the arrangement of objects in the visual field, spatial orientation
what is the episodic buffer?
it brings together material from other subsections into a single memory rather than separate strands. it provides a bridge between working memory and long-term memory
what is the encoding of the episodic buffer?
modality-free
what is the capacity of the episodic buffer?
3 or 4 items
two strengths of the working memory model
•clinical evidence (evidence for separate auditory and visual processing)
•dual task performance (supports the existence of the visuo-spatial sketchpad)
strength: clinical evidence
•there is evidence for separate auditory and visual processing
•studies with brain damaged individuals have shown impairments affecting auditory processing but not visual processing, and vice versa
•the patient KF suffered brain damage, he had a poor ability to hold verbal information yet was able to process visual information
•he could only recall 2 items when they were read aloud
•this suggests that his phonological loop was damaged, however his visuo-spatial sketchpad was fine, suggesting the existence of separate memory components
strength: dual task performance
•studies show that simultaneous processing is difficult when the tasks are both visual or both auditor
•dual processing is easier when a visual task is paired with the same verbal one, this is as both tasks are competing for the same ‘slave system’
•this supports the existence of the visuo-spatial sketchpad as there must be separate systems for visual and auditory information
•people were asked to track a light and trace the outline of the letter F, or describe the letter F. they performed better in the visual and verbal task
two weaknesses of the working model of memory
•the supporting studies use artificial tasks
•the theory is incomplete
weakness: the supporting studies use artificial tasks
•most of the evidence to support this theory has emerged from very artificial laboratory-based tasks (such as the duel processing task)
•this means the findings of these studies may not be applicable to real life as they are not a measure of daily working memory, which questions the validity of the conclusions drawn
weakness: the theory is incomplete
•the WMM does not explain how information in the working memory becomes a long term memory
•it does not give a full explanation of the memory processes
