Working Memory Model

Question 1

Outline 6 points about the working memory model

Answer 1

Consists of:

• Central executive
• Control centre responsible for coordinating the other slave units. It’s involved in problem solving and decision making
• Phonological loop
• Deals with auditory information. Includes the primary acoustic store (inner ear) and articulatory loop (inner voice)
• Visuospatial sketchpad (inner eye)
• Holds information we see and is used to manipulate spatial information

Question 2

Supporting research?

Answer 2

P- Research to support
E- Case study of KF who suffered brain damage from a motorcycle accident. He could make new verbal memories but not visual memories
E- This supports that separate components process different information, e.g. verbal = PL, visual = VSS

Question 3

Give 2x weaknesses of the WMM

Answer 3

P- Case studies are ungeneralisable and unique
E- KF - his brain damage affected his ability to make visual memories, but this could be different to someone else
E- Can’t suggest everyone’s STM works the same way and damage won’t effect every individual the same way. Doesn’t support WMM

P- Lacks ecological validity
E- Artificial way to test memory
E- Doesn’t tell us how memory works in normal situations

Question 4

Applications?

Answer 4

P - Yes
E - Explains that impairment in phonological loop makes it difficult to remember a sequence of information
E - Implications for dyslexics who have impaired phonological loops - may need learning support, e.g. extra time in exams