working memory model Flashcards
what are the assumptions of the working memory model?
who devised the working memory model?
Baddelely and Hitch 1974
what area of memory does this model focus on?
Short Term Memory
how many components does this model suggest there are within STM and what are they?
4
- central executive
- phonological loop
- visuo-spatial sketchpad
- episodic buffer
what is the role of the central executive?
It is the attentional control system which allocates the tasks and therefore is where decision making occurs
what are the features of the central executive?
modality free meaning it can take in and process information from all senses
limited capacity and duration - know this as it is short term memory
why is the central executive the store with the smallest amount of research?
argued to be the most important store but also the hardest to study which is why there is little research. This is because it is difficult to study and measure as it surrounds people’s subjective thoughts which can’t be shown on a scan
which of the three sub systems are known as slave systems?
phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketchpad
what is the role of the phonological loop?
processes auditory (sound) and verbal information in speech base form
what stores is the phonological loop subdivided into and what are their alternative names?
Phonological store also known as the inner ear
Articulatory process also known as the inner voice
what are the features of the phonological loop?
-holds a limited amount of information for a short time
(limited duration and capacity)
- modality specific ==> only processes information from verbal or sound based info
what is the role and features of the phonological store?
The phonological store also called Inner Ear is a. speech based storage system
- holds the words you hear for brief periods
- decay rate approx 2 seconds (limited duration)
what is the role and features of the articulatory process?
the articulatory store also called Inner Voice is
the sub-vocal repetition process that silently repeats words to prevent them from decaying
==> form of maintenance rehearsal so it doesn’t decay or displace
what is the role of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
processes a limited number of objects (3-4) which are spatial (periphery) and visual
what are the features of the visa-spatial sketchpad?
- temporary storage system
- limited capacity
- modality specific ==> only visual and spatial based information can be processed
what two components is the visuo-spatial sketchpad sub-divided into and what are the alternative names?
visual cache and the inner scribe
==> inner eye and no other name
what is the role and features of the visual cache?
codes objects and features such as shapes and colour
- limited capacity
- only visual tasks are processed here
what is the role and features of the inner scribe?
spatial component that processes the location and movement of objects in your field of vision
==> peripheral
what is the role and features of the episodic buffer?
Temporary storage system that allows information from the CE / PL / VSS to be combined with information from LTM
==> integrates this so it can be transferred
what does this model suggest the dual task problem is?
you cannot do two things which uses the same store at once without one suffering
- this is because of conflicting / divided attention
What studies of Dual task performance are there? And how do they support it
Studies of dual task performance support the separate existence of the visuo-spatial sketchpad. Baddeley et al (1975) showed that ppts had more difficulty doing two visual tasks at the same time than a visual and verbal task at the same time. The difficulty is due to both visual tasks competing for the same slave system, but not for visual and verbal. This means there must be a separate slave system that processes visual imput
