Working Memory Model - Baddeley and Hitch 1974 Flashcards
What did Baddeley and Hitch argue about the MSM?
Argued it was far too simple
What are the differences between the MSM and the working memory model?
Only one STM store in the MSM
Multi-store model focuses on rehearsal
Working memory model - greater 2 way exchange of information
Why was the working memory model developed?
Developed in response to the MSM being too simplistic
What did the working memory model propose?
That the STM isn’t a single store and that it should be replaced with memory that consists of several subsystems
What does the working memory consist of?
Different subsystems (known as slave systems) for different types of information
What are the different subsystems in the working memory model?
Central executive
Phonological loop
Visuo-spatial sketch pad
What is the central executive responsible for?
Monitoring and coordinating the slave systems
Decides which information is attended to by working memory and where that information should be sent
What does the central executive direct?
Directs attention and gives priority to particular activities
What does the visuo-spatial sketchpad carry out?
Visual processing tasks
What does the phonological loop carry out?
Verbal processing tasks
Why is it more difficult to perform two visual or two verbal tasks at the same time?
They interfere with each other and performance is reduced
What does the phonological loop deal with?
Deals with verbal information (spoken and written material)
What does the phonological loop act as?
Acts as an inner ear and holds information in a speech based form for 1-2 second
How do spoken words enter the phonological store?
Enter the store directly
How do written words enter the phonological store?
Must first be converted into an articulatory (spoken) code before they can enter the phonological store
What does the articulatory loop act as?
Acts like an inner voice rehearsing information from the phonological store
Circulates information round and round like a tape loop
What does the articulatory control process do?
Converts written material into an articulatory code and transfers it to the phonological store
What does the visuo-spatial sketchpad deal with?
Deals with visual and spatial information
What does the visuo-spatial sketchpad help us do?
Plays an important role in helping up keep track of where we are in relation to other objects as we move through our environment
What did Baddeley’s 2000 original model failed to explain?
Failed to explain the results of various experiments
How did Baddeley update his original 2000 model?
He added an additional component called the episodic buffer
What does the episodic buffer act as?
Acts as a ‘back up’ store which communicates with both long-term memory and the components of working memory
What are the strengths/supporting evidence of the working memory model?
KF
Baddeley and Hitch 1976 experiment
Useful applications in education
Scientific approach
Psychology over time
What are the weaknesses/refuting evidence of the working memory model?
Liebermann
Artificial memory tasks
Further clarity needed regarding some components
More work needed to better clarify some key components such as the central executive
Why is Liebermann (1980) refuting evidence for the working memory model?
The visuo-spatial sketchpad implies that all spatial information was first visual
Liebermann points out that blind people have excellent spatial awareness although they have never had an visual information
Why is KF supporting evidence for the working memory model?
KF’s impairment was mainly for verbal information - his memory for visual information was largely unaffected.
This shows that there are separate STM components for visual information (visa spatial sketchpad) and verbal information (phonological loop)
Why is Baddeley and Hitch supporting evidence for the working memory model?
Demonstrated the existence of the visa-spatial sketchpad by using dual task paradigm
Why is artificial tasks a weakness of the working memory model?
Artificial tasks such as learning word lists or remembering stories rely heavily on either visual or sound information whilst in real life; tasks tend to involve many of the senses combined - said to lack validity
Why is useful applications in society a strength of the working memory model?
Research into working memory has helped identify children who have working memory impairments which may hinder their progress in education
Such impairments may include difficulty concentrating and remembering lengthy instructions
Why is psychological understanding a strength of the working memory model?
Baddeley conducted numerous memory experiments in the 1960s leading to his model of working memory in 1974
He continued to carry out experiments and also used evidence from brain scans - from these findings he adjusted his model in 2003 by adding the episodic buffer
