Working memory model A03 Flashcards
One strength of the WMM is
that there is clinical evidence that supports the existence of separate functioning memory systems.
(Strength - For example)
Shallace and Warrington studied patient KF who had amnesia due to an accident. They found that he had poor processing of auditory information, but could still process visual information normally.
- found that his recall of digits was better when he read the digits to himself, rather than when they were read to him.
This is a strength because
The study demonstrates that KF had a damaged phonological loop, but his visuo-spatial sketchpad was still functioning, which supports the existence of separate visual and auditory memory systems.
Counterpoint to strength
it is unclear as to whether KF had other cognitive damage besides a damaged phonological loop that may have impacted his performance on memory tasks. The trauma from his accident may also affect his brain performance, which challenges clinical evidence from other studies that use people with brain injuries to assess performance.
One limitation of the WMM
There is a lack of understanding of the central executive component.
(Limit - For example)
Baddley said that the Central executive is the most important but least understood aspect of the WMM, in addition to some psychologists believing that the CE is made up of different subcomponents.
This is a limitation because
it suggests that the central executive does play an important role into working memory and so needs to be better understood than just attention.
In addition to the limitation
There may be positive implications of a better understanding of the CE.
In a study of schizophrenic patients compared to a control group, Evans found that the patients with SZ suffered with dysexecutive disorder (defects in actions carried out by the CE). This shows that research into the CE may be able to have positive implications for the treatments of patients with SZ if the disorder can be partly down to faults in the CE.
