Working Memory Model

Question 1

Outline the working memory model (WMM)

Answer 1

• Addresses STM
• Concerned with the memory that you use when working on a complex task which requires you to store info as you go along.
• Baddeley and Hitch felt STM was a number of different stores. One for visual and one for processing sounds. This formed the basis of the WMM where systems are organised by the central executive

Question 2

Describe the central executive (CE)

Answer 2

• It directs attention to particular tasks, determining how the brain’s ‘resources’ are allocated to tasks.
• The ‘resources’ are the 3 systems.

Question 3

Describe the phonological loop (PL)

Answer 3

• It has a limited capacity.
• Deals with with auditory information and preserves the order of it.

Question 4

How is the phonological loop divided?

Answer 4

• Baddeley divided the loop into: The PL which holds the words you hear.
• And an articulatory process which is used for words that are heard or seen. These words are silently repeated, like an inner voice, which is a form maintenance rehearsal.

Question 5

Describe the visuo-spatial sketchpad (VSS)

Answer 5

• The VSS is used when you have to plan a spatial task (e.g. getting from one room to another).
• Visual/spatial information is temporally stored here. Visual info is what things look like while spatial info is the physical relationship between 2 things

Question 6

How is the visuo-spatial sketchpad divided?

Answer 6

• Logie suggested that the VSS can be divided into: a visual cache that stores info about visual items (visual info)
• And an inner scribe that stores the arrangement of objects in the visual field (spatial info)

Question 7

Describe the episodic buffer (EB)

Answer 7

• Baddeley added the EB as a general store, as there was nowhere to hold both visual and acoustic information, but has limited capacity too
• Also maintains a sense of time sequencing, recording events that are happening.
• The EB also sends info to LTM

Question 8

Give evaluation for the WMM (case studies)

Answer 8

• Supporting evidence from case studies.
• Shallice and Warrington studied KF, his ST forgetting of auditory info was greater compared to that of visual stimuli. His auditory problems were limited to verbal material like letters but not meaningful sounds, so his brain damage seemed to be restricted to the PL.
• Supports the idea of separate visual and spatial systems, as suggested by the WMM

Question 9

Give evaluation for the WMM (dual task performance)

Answer 9

• The main reason for developing the WMM was to account for dual task performance.
• Hitch and Baddeley supported the existence of the CE in their study. Participants performed Task 1 which occupied the CE. Then task 2 either involved the articulatory loop or used the CE and the articulatory loop. They found Task 1 was slower when Task 2 used both the articulatory loop and CE.
• Demonstrates the dual task performance effect and shows that the CE is one of the components of working memory.

Question 10

Give evaluation for the WMM (CE is too vague)

Answer 10

• All the CE does is allocate resources, doing the same as ‘attention’. Critics feel that the notion of one CE is wrong and that there’s several components.
• Eslinger and Damasio studied EVR who had a cerebral tumour removed. He did will on reasoning tests, suggesting his CE was intact. But, he had poor decision-making skill, suggesting his CE wasn’t wholly intact
• The CE is more complex than what is in the WMM