The Working Memory Model (Memory)

Question 1

What type of system is working memory?

Answer 1

• A multicomponent system.

Question 2

What are the main components of the working memory model?

Answer 2

• It has three main components: the phonological loop, the visuospatial sketch pad and the central executive.

Question 3

What is the central executive?

Answer 3

• Monitors incoming data.
• Directs attention to the two slave systems —> the phonological loop and the Visio-spatial sketch pad.
• Has limited capacity so it is unable to store data.

Question 4

What is the phonological loop?

Answer 4

The phonological loop:
- deals with auditory information
- preserves the order in which information arrives
- has two subdivisions —> the phonological store (stores the words you hear), the articulatory process (allows maintenance rehearsal (inner voice)).
- Limited capacity
- Duration of 1-2 seconds.

Question 5

What is the visuo-spatial sketch pad?

Answer 5

• Coding: visual and/or spatial information stored here.
• Inner eye:
  —> Visual = what things look like.
  —> Spatial = relationships between things.
• Has two subdivisions: the visual cache which stores visual data and the inner scribe, which record the arrangements of objects in the visual field.