Working memory model, (CP) Flashcards
Summary of working memory model (CE, PL, VSS, EB). Types of information/ coding, subcomponents, capacity, duration
Central executive:
- Types of information/ coding = modality free
- Subcomponents = N/A
- Capacity = limited
- Duration = does not store information
Phonological loop:
- Types of information/ coding = auditory
- Subcomponents = phonological loop, articulatory process
- Capacity = what can be read out loud in 2s
- Duration = limited duration
Visuo-spatial sketchpad:
- Types of information/ coding = visual
- Subcomponents = visual cache, inner scribe
- Capacity = 3-4 objects
- Duration = limited duration
Episodic buffer:
- Types of information/ coding = modality free
- Subcomponents = N/A
- Capacity = 4 chunks of info
- Duration = limited duration
Evaluate a strength of WMM (with a counterpoint)
I -Evidence from case studies of brain damaged patients also support the idea of separate short term memory stores.
J - For example, Shallice and Warrington, (1974) reported the case of KF who suffered short-term memory impairment following a motorbike. KF had a digit span of one, suggesting a gross impairment in his phonological store, but his visual memory was intact.
E - This supports the proposal that working memory has two subsystems and deals with verbal and visuospatial information relatively independently.
Counterpoint - However, such case studies are limited to unique individuals with specific impairments so care should be taken when generalising these findings to the wider population.
Evaluate a weakness of WMM
I - Another weakness is that there are problems in specifying the precise functioning of the central executive.
J - Elsinger and Damasio (1985) describe a case study of a man with brain damage resulting from the removal of a brain tumour. His reasoning was good, his IQ was high and he coped well with interference during memory tasks – all of which indicated that his central executive was working well. However, his decision making was very poor; for example, it took him hours to decide where to eat.
E - This is a weakness of the model because if the central executive were a single system, we would expect all or none of these abilities to be affected, therefore this case suggests the central executive is not a single system.
