Working memory model - SAQ Flashcards
What is the WMM?
A zoom in on the structure of STM. It includes four components that interact with each other.
The researchers felt this model was needed because there were some finding that were not entirely consistent with the multi store model of memory, where it is assumed that STM is a unitary store.
4 components of the WMM
The visuospatial sketchpad (the inner eye)
The phonological loop ‘The inner ear’:
Articulatory rehearsal component (‘the inner voice’),
The central executive
The episodic buffer (added in a later version of the model)
The central executive
attentional system, allocating attention to different inputs and monitoring the operation of the other components.
The phonological loop
its function is to hold auditory information. It is further subdivided into two parts.
Articulatory rehearsal component (‘the inner voice’),
sub-divided into the articulatory control system, where information is rehearsed in a speech-based form, and the phonological store, which holds speech input for a brief period of time (1 and 1/2 - 2 seconds). Because of their functions, these two sub-components are known as the ‘inner voice’ and the ‘inner ear’ respectively.
The visuospatial sketchpad
deals with visual input, which can be either direct (via the visual sensory register) or retrieved from long-term memory in the form of visual images.
A model of memory originally formulated by Baddely and Hitch (1974) and updated by Baddeley (1986). This proposes that:
The concept of a short term memory store should be replaced by that of a working memory system
This would have a more functional role, being concerned with both the active processing and the temporary storage of information.
Working memory is seen as a complex, multi-component system rather than a single unitary store.
The episodic buffer
integrates information from the visuospatial sketchpad and the phonological loop and links it to LTM.
Key study for WMM
Peterson and Peterson
Date of Peterson and Peterson
1959
Aim
to investigate the duration of short term memory.
Hypothesis
information which is not rehearsed is lost quickly from short term memory.
Procedure
a lab experiment was conducted where participants had to recall trigrams (meaningless three-consonant syllables, e.g. TGH, CLS).
The trigrams were presented one at a time and had to be recalled after intervals of 3, 6, 9, 12, 15 or 18 seconds. To prevent rehearsal participants were asked to count backwards in threes or fours from a specified random number until they saw a red light appear.
Results
there was a rapid increase in forgetting as the time delay increased.
After 3 seconds 80% of the trigrams were recalled correctly.
After 6 seconds this fell to 50%.
After 18 seconds less than 10% of the trigrams were recalled correctly.
Conclusion
short term memory has a limited duration (of about 18 seconds) when rehearsal is prevented. It is thought that this information is lost from short-term memory from trace decay.
The results of the study also show theshort-term memoryis different fromlong-term memoryin terms of duration. Thus supporting themulti-store model of memory. If a person is not able to rehearse information it will not transfer to theirlong-term memorystore.
