Working Memory Model Flashcards
What is the Working Memory Model (WMM)?
A new STM model on how it’s organised based on 4 different components
Developed by Baddeley and Hitch in 1974 as a response to the limitations of the Multi-Store Model (MSM)
What are the four parts of the Working Memory Model?
- Central Executive (CE)
- Phonological Loop (PL)
- Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad (VSS)
- Episodic Buffer (EB)
CE <—-> PL, EB & VSS
VSS <—-> LTM
EB <—-> LTM
PL <—-> LTM
What is the function of the Central Executive (CE) in WMM?
An attentional process that monitors incoming information and sends info to different systems
It has limited capacity and does not store information.
What does the Phonological Loop (PL) deal with?
Auditory information, specifically acoustic coding
It consists of 2 parts and accesses LTM to store and retrieve language/sound info.
What are the two parts of the Phonological Loop?
- Phonological Store
- Articulatory Process
The phonological store stores words you hear, while the articulatory process allows for maintenance rehearsal by repeating sounds or words.
What is the capacity of the Phonological Loop?
2 seconds worth of words
What does the Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad (VSS) store?
Visual and spatial information, accesses LTM to store/retrieve said info
What are the two parts of the Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad?
According to Logie:
* Visual Cache
* Inner Scribe
The visual cache stores visual data, while the inner scribe records the arrangement of objects in the visual field.
What is the capacity of the Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad?
3 to 4 objects according to Baddeley
What is the function of the Episodic Buffer (EB)?
Added in 2000 by Baddeley, it combines visual, spatial, and auditory information from the other stores and sequences events (putting events in the order they occurred)
It links to long-term memory and other cognitive processes.
What is the capacity of the Episodic Buffer?
About 4 chunks
What evidence supports the existence of separate systems in WMM from the case of amnesia patient K.F?
According to Shallice and Warrington, K.F had poor STM for verbal information but good STM for visual information
This suggests that the phonological loop was damaged while the visuo-spatial sketchpad remained intact.
What is the dual-task performance phenomenon in WMM as a strength of WMM?
Doing two tasks at the same time, supports the separate existence of visuo-spatial sketchpad
Two visual tasks are harder than one visual and one verbal task as it’s using one system instead of the two
What is the word length effect as suggested by Baddeley et al as a strength of WMM?
It is harder to remember a list of long words than short words
When given tasks that involve CE, participants use the left prefrontal cortex (PFC). As the task gets harder, activity in PFC increases.
What is a limitation of WMM in relation to the use of clinical cases?
Always handle them with caution
K.F could have had other cognitive impairments due to trauma of his accident which might have affected his performance
What is another limitation of WMM related to baddeley?
Baddeley himself isn’t satisfied with the explanation of CE
Describes it as the most important but least understood part of the model that needs to be researched further
