memory - the working memory model.

Question 1

What is meant by “working memory model”?

Answer 1

Model explaining how the STM works.

Question 2

What is meant by “central executive”?

Answer 2

Controls attention and coordinates the actions of two subsystems.

Question 3

What is meant by “phonological loop”?

Answer 3

Deals with auditory information.

Question 4

What is meant by “visuo-spatial sketchpad”?

Answer 4

Deals with visual and spatial information.

Question 5

What is meant by “episodic buffer”?

Answer 5

A temporary store where visual, spatial and verbal information (all modalities) is integrated.

Question 6

Who described the working memory model and when?

Answer 6

Baddeley and Hitch in 1974.

Question 7

What does the working memory model state?

Answer 7

• stores described as single units in MSM.
• proposed a separate model to the MSM.
• does not try to explain how LTM works.
• STM is a dynamic processor of different types of information using sub-units coordinated by a central-decision making system.

Question 8

What are the four memory stores of the WMM?

Answer 8

• central executive.
• phonological loop.
• visuo-spatial sketchpad.
• episodic buffer.

Question 9

What does the WMM state about the central executive?

Answer 9

• attentional system.
• modality free
  ↳ codes all senses.
• can briefly store information but has a limited capacity of around 4 items.
• considered the most import part of WMM
  ↳ (decision-making, attention, passes information and controls other systems).

Question 10

What does the WMM state about the phonological loop?

Answer 10

• a sub system.
• limited capacity of what can be said in 2 seconds.
• made up of articulatory process and phonological store.

Question 11

What is the articulatory process?

Answer 11

• inner voice.
• rehearses information verbally (maintenance rehearsal).
• used for words we hear or see.

Question 12

What is the phonological store?

Answer 12

• inner ear.
• stored words we can hear.

Question 13

What does the WMM state about the visuo-spatial loop?

Answer 13

• second sub system.
• visual
  ↳ what things look like.
• spatial
  ↳ relationship between things such as distance.
• limited capacity of 3 / 4 objects.
• Logie (1995) separated the VSS into two subdivisions
  ↳ visual cache.
  ➝ inner scribe.

Question 14

What is visual cache?

Answer 14

Store of visual data such as colour.

Question 15

What is the inner scribe?

Answer 15

• spatial information such as the arrangement of objects.
• inner eye.

Question 16

What does the WMM state about the episodic buffer?

Answer 16

• third sub system.
• was not part of original model.
• recently added by Baddeley in 2000.
• limited capacity of 4 chunks of information.
• maintains a sense of time sequencing
  ↳ recording events that are happening.
• links working memory to LTM.

Question 17

Why did Baddeley and Hitch not think the STM was one store?

Answer 17

[dual task technique]
- if you do two things at the same time and they are both either visual or both audio, you perform them less well than if you did them separately.
- if you do two things at the same time and one is visual and one involves sound, you do them as well simultaneously (together) as you do separately.

Question 18

What is the dual task technique?

Answer 18

• used to support idea of multiple stores within STM.
• there are two separate stores
  ↳ one for visual processing and one for auditory processing.

Question 19

[LEARN THE WORKING MEMORY MODEL DIAGRAM]

Answer 19

[LEARN THE WORKING MEMORY MODEL DIAGRAM]

Question 20

What are the strengths of the WMM?

Answer 20

• brain scanning studies.
• dual task performance.
• support from case studies.

Question 21

What is a weakness of the WMM?

Answer 21

• lack of clarity over the central executive.

Question 22

What is the evaluation of the MSM - brain scanning studies?

Answer 22

POINT - one strength is that there is neurobiological support.
EVIDENCE - Braver et al (1997) gave participants tasks that involved the central executive while performing brain scans and found greater activity in the prefrontal cortex. The harder the task the more activity in the area.
EXPLANATION - shows different memory functions are handled by different areas of the brain.
LINK - shows different memory functions are handled by different areas of the brain.

Question 23

What is the evaluation of the MSM - dual task performance?

Answer 23

POINT - one strength is the supporting evidence from dual-task performance studies.
EVIDENCE - Baddeley et al (1975) showed that participants had more difficulty doing two visual tasks (tracking a light and describing the letter F) than doing both a visual and verbal task at the same time (tracking a light and performing a verbal reasoning task).
EXPLANATION - explains the increased difficulty of completing two visual tasks as they are both competing for the same sub system. Verbal and visual tasks done together have no competition.
LINK - provides evidence for the existence of multiple components within our STM and support the idea of a separate phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketchpad.

Question 24

What is the evaluation of the MSM - support from case studies?

Answer 24

POINT - one strength is the support from case studies.
EVIDENCE - Shallice and Warrington (1970) case study of Patient KF who suffered from a motorcycle accident. They had poor STM ability for verbal information such as had difficulties with sounds however his memory for visual information remained intact.
EXPLANATION - must be a short-term store which processes visual information which is dealt with by the visuo-spatial sketchpad whereas phonological loop deals with auditory information.
LINK - supports existence of separate visual and acoustic store making WMM a better model to explain the memory system as opposed to the MSM.

Question 25

What is the evaluation of the *MSM* - **lack of clarity over the central executive**?

Answer 25

**POINT** - one weakness is there is a lack of clarity over the central executive component of the WMM. **EVIDENCE** - Eslinger and Damasio (1985) studied patient named EVR who had his cerebral tumour removed and when tested he performed well on tests requiring reasoning however had poor decision-making skills spending hours deciding what he wanted to eat. **EXPLANATION** - as his central executive was not fully intact, the central executive is much more complex than the WMM suggests. **LINK** - may consist of several components and not just a single component.

Question 26

What is the evaluation **point** of the *WMM* - **brain scanning studies**?

Answer 26

One strength is that there is neurobiological support.

Question 27

What is the evaluation **evidence** of the *WMM* - **brain scanning studies**?

Answer 27

- Braver et al (1997) gave participants tasks that involved the central executive while performing brain scans and found greater activity in the prefrontal cortex. - the harder the task the more activity in the area.

Question 28

What is the evaluation **explanation** of the *WMM* - **brain scanning studies**?

Answer 28

Shows different memory functions are handled by different areas of the brain.

Question 29

What is the evaluation **link** of the *WMM* - **brain scanning studies**?

Answer 29

Shows different memory functions are handled by different areas of the brain.

Question 30

What is the evaluation **point** of the *WMM* - **dual task performance**?

Answer 30

One strength is the supporting evidence from dual-task performance studies.

Question 31

What is the evaluation **evidence** of the *WMM* - **dual task performance**?

Answer 31

Baddeley et al (1975) showed that participants had more difficulty doing two visual tasks (tracking a light and describing the letter F) than doing both a visual and verbal task at the same time (tracking a light and performing a verbal reasoning task).

Question 32

What is the evaluation **explanation** of the *WMM* - **dual task performance**?

Answer 32

- explains the increased difficulty of completing two visual tasks as they are both competing for the same sub system. - verbal and visual tasks done together have no competition.

Question 33

What is the evaluation **link** of the *WMM* - **dual task performance**?

Answer 33

Provides evidence for the existence of multiple components within our STM and support the idea of a separate phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketchpad.

Question 34

What is the evaluation **point** of the *WMM* - **support from case studies**?

Answer 34

One strength is the support from case studies.

Question 35

What is the evaluation **evidence** of the *WMM* - **support from case studies**?

Answer 35

- Shallice and Warrington (1970) case study of Patient KF who suffered from a motorcycle accident. - they had poor STM ability for verbal information such as had difficulties with sounds however his memory for visual information remained intact.

Question 36

What is the evaluation **explanation** of the *WMM* - **support from case studies**?

Answer 36

Must be a short-term store which processes visual information which is dealt with by the visuo-spatial sketchpad whereas phonological loop deals with auditory information.

Question 37

What is the evaluation **link** of the *WMM* - **support from case studies**?

Answer 37

Supports existence of separate visual and acoustic store making WMM a better model to explain the memory system as opposed to the MSM.

Question 38

What is the evaluation **point** of the *WMM* - **lack of clarity over the central executive**?

Answer 38

One weakness is there is a lack of clarity over the central executive component of the WMM.

Question 39

What is the evaluation **evidence** of the *WMM* - **lack of clarity over the central executive**?

Answer 39

Eslinger and Damasio (1985) studied patient named EVR who had his cerebral tumour removed and when tested he performed well on tests requiring reasoning however had poor decision-making skills spending hours deciding what he wanted to eat.

Question 40

What is the evaluation **explanation** of the *WMM* - **lack of clarity over the central executive**?

Answer 40

As his central executive was not fully intact, the central executive is much more complex than the WMM suggests.

Question 41

What is the evaluation **link** of the *WMM* - **lack of clarity over the central executive**?

Answer 41

May consist of several components and not just a single component.