Working Memory Model

Question 1

Who proposed the working memory model and describe what it is (Intro)

Answer 1

• Baddeley and Hitch proposed the WMM as an exp of how STM works
• They said STM was not a unitary store like the MSM but infact had several different stores which are all connected but work independently as an active processor
• It views memory as active rather than passive in contrast to the MSM
• If a person completes two tasks at the same time using the same slave system, performance will be reduced as they have a limited capacity, but not if tasks use diff slave systems as there is no competition for limited capacity
• Composed of central executive, phonological loop, the visuo - spatial sketchpad and the episodic buffer

Question 2

Describe what is meant by the central executive

Answer 2

• attentional process that monitors incoming info and can code any type of info
• decides what needs to be done and delegates tasks accordingly to slave systems
• takes over most demanding tasks where necessary
• any task that is new or requires conc will overload the c.e as it has very limited capacity

Question 3

Describe what is meant by the phonological loop

Answer 3

• auditory info is passed from CE to PL
• limited capacity and codes acoustically
• baddeley subdivided PL into two parts
• phonological store = stores words we hear like an inner ear
• articulatory loop = silently rehearses words that are seen or heard to keep in memory, like an inner voice

Question 4

Describe what is meant by the visuo spatial sketchpad

Answer 4

• all visual info is passed from the CE to the VSS, like an inner eye
• responsible for setting up mental images and used for spatial tasks e.g. giving directions
• temporarily stores visual and spatial info
• limited capacity and codes visually
• divided into 2 parts
• visual cache = stores visual data
• inner scribe = records arrangement of objects in visual field

Question 5

Describe what is meant by the episodic buffer

Answer 5

• general store later added by baddeley and hitch
• limited capacity and can code any type of info
• collects and combines info from all stores to record an event/episode
• transfers info to the LTM and retrieves info from the LTM to the STM

Question 6

What are the three AO3 PEELS to evaluate the working memory model?

Answer 6

RTS by patient KF
Discussion - low pop val
Strength - dual task performance