Working memory model (Baddeley & Hitch 1974) Flashcards
What does the working memory model suggest ?
Limited capacity store for retaining information for brief period while performing mental operations on that information
What are the components of the WMM ?
- Central executive
- Visuospatial sketchpad
- Phonological loop
- Episodic buffer
What is the function of the central executive ?
Coordinates & manages other components of WMM, allocates tasks to slave systems & deals with cognitive tasks
Where is the location of the central executive ?
PFC
How are memories in the central executive encoded ?
Attentional process that monitors incoming data
What is the capacity of the central executive ?
Limited
What components is the phonological loop split into ?
- Phonological store
- Articulatory control process
What is the function of the phonological store ?
Stores the words that we hear (inner ear), processes speech perception & stores spoken words
Where is the location of the phonological loop ?
Temporal lobe
What is the capacity of the phonological store ?
Determined by the time it takes to say the words
What is the function of the articulatory control process ?
Allows maintenance rehearsal & prepares what you are going to say
What is the capacity of the articulatory control process ?
2s worth of what you can say
What is the function of the visuo spatial sketchpad ?
Holds information we see & manipulated spatial information
Where is the location of the VSS ?
Occipital lobe
What is the capacity of the visuo-spatial sketchpad ?
Limited (3-4 objects = Baddeley 2005)
What did Logie (1995) add ?
Visual cache & inner scribe
What is the visual cache ?
Stores visual data
What is the inner scribe ?
Records arrangement of objectives in the visual field
When was the episodic buffer added ?
2000
What is the function of the episodic buffer ?
Temporary store for information that integrates information by other stores & maintains sense of time sequencing
What is the capacity of the episodic buffer ?
Limited = 4 chunks
What is the duration of the episodic buffer ?
Temporary
How is KF supporting research ?
Deficit in verbal information, visual information normal = different stores of STM
What is a criticism for experiments around WMM ?
Lack ecological validity = not representative of everyday lives & usual memory
How is Allport opposing research ?
Questioned whether CE was necessary = impossible to design task that just affects central executive
How is Lieberman opposing research ?
VSS implies all spatial information was once visual = suggests blind people have good spatial awareness & should be split into 2 different stores
How can the episodic buffer be criticised ?
How it interacts with LTM not explained = further research needed
How is Baddeley supporting research ?
Group 1 - two visual tasks
Group 2 - one visual & verbal task
Group 1 had more difficulty = slave systems
What are applications to this theory ?
Alzheimers = help know cause of it
