Working memory model Flashcards
What are all the systems in the working memory model?
Central executive, episodic buffer, Visuo-spatial sketchpad, Articulatory control system, Phonologicasl store.
What is the role of the central executive?
Drives the whole system and allocates data into subsections. Also deals with problem solving and arithmetic.
What is the role of the visuospatial sketchpad?
Stores information about the things around us and vision.
What is the role of the articulatory control system?
Speech and verbal information. (Sub-vocal repetition).
What is the role of the phonological store?
Hearing.
The role of the episodic buffer
Maintains a sense of time sequencing.
Which store in the working memory model was added last?
Central executive (2000)
Give a strength of the working memory model (dual task tests)
Baddely and hitch conducted dual task tests to investigate if participants could use two different parts of their working memory at the same time. The participants were given two tasks involving the phonological loop. For example, speaking and listening. When they did them at the same time, their performance was impaired. However their performance was similar when they carried out a task from the phonological loop and a task from a different store. This shows that there must be separate stores in the phonological loop involved with visual and auditory tasks.
Give a strength of the working memory model (case study evidence)
There is case study evidence from thr study of patient KF. after his brain injury, KF had poor STM ability for auditory (sound) information but he could visual information normally. For instance, he had immediate recall of letters and digits when he read them however when someone else read them he struggled. KF’s phonological loop was damaged but not his visuo spatial sketchpad. These findings strongly support the existence of superset visual and acoustic memory stores.
Give a limitation of the working memory model
Despite providing more detail of the short term memory than the multi store model, the working memory model has been criticised for being too simplistic and vague. E.g it is unclear what the actual role of the central executive is. Some researchers argue it should be made up of several components. This is a limitation as it does not explain all of the processes involved in short term memory.
