The Nature of Memory - Working memory model

Question 1

what are the components of the working memory model

Answer 1

• central executive
• phonological loop
• visuospatial sketchpad
• episodic buffer

Question 2

how is the phonological loop coded

Answer 2

acoustically

Question 3

what is the capacity of the phonological loop

Answer 3

2 seconds

worth of infomation you can say

Question 4

decribe the phonological loop

Answer 4

• It preserves the order in which information arrives.
• it is subdivided into;
  → the phonological store
  → articulatory process

Question 5

describe the task of the phonological store

Answer 5

it stores the words you hear

Question 6

describe the task of the articulatory process

Answer 6

allows for maintinance rehearsal

Question 7

how is the visuo-spacial sketchpad coded

Answer 7

visually

Question 8

what is the capacity of the visuo-spacial sketchpad

Answer 8

3-4 objects

Question 9

describe the visuo-spacial sketchpad

Answer 9

It is sub-divided into:
- visual cashe
- inner scribe

Question 10

describe the task of the visual cashe

Answer 10

it stores the visual information

Question 11

describe the task of the inner scribe

Answer 11

it records the arrangement of objects in the visual field

Question 12

describe the wmm

Answer 12

it is a representation of short term memory. it suggests that STM is a dynamic processor of different types of information using sub-units coordinated by a central decision-making system

Question 13

describe the central executive

Answer 13

• It is the component of the wmm that coordinates the activities of the 3 sub-systems and allocates resources to those activities.
• It is an attentional system that monitors data and makes decisions

Question 14

how is the central executive coded

Answer 14

it can process any type of information

Question 15

what is the capacity of the central exective

Answer 15

it has a very limited processing capacity

Question 16

what is the capacity of the episodic buffer

Answer 16

4 chunks of information

Question 17

how is the episodic buffer coded

Answer 17

it can process any type of information

Question 18

describe the episodic buffer

Answer 18

It is the component that brings together material from the other sub-systems into a single memory.
It is the bridge between the working memory and the long-term memory

Question 19

describe a piece of research into the wmm

Answer 19

Eyesenck and Keane (1995)
Aim: To investigate whether there are several components within the working memory model.
Method- participants were asked to remember 8 words in 15 seconds
task 1 - participants were then given 15 seconds retention time and then were asked to recall the words
task 2 - participants were then told to say tick tock out loud and were then asked to recall them

task 3- participants were then told to draw a picture of their house , then asked to recall

Question 20

group 1, group 2, group 3

what were the results of Eysenck and Keane (1995)

Answer 20

• the best performance was in task 1 , the phonological loop was used to retain the words.
• The worst performance was in task 2 because the participants repeating the words tick tock meant that the phonological loop was being used to complete the task as well as to refresh and retain the 8 words.
• Completing task 3 and drawing the house should not have affected the recall of words because it was using the visuo spatial sketch pad , which is a different loop

Question 21

what was the conclusion of Eysenck and Keane 1995

Answer 21

this is evidence that there are different components in short term memory , supporting Baddeley and Hitch working memory model

Question 22

evaluate Eysenck and Keane 1995

(S+W)

Answer 22

• A strength is that is has a control group to compare
• a weakness is that it lacks ecological validity

Question 23

identify a weakness of the wmm

|2 points

Answer 23

• it is not a complete model - doesnt account for musical memory - participants can listen to acoustical music without impairing performace on other acoustic tasks
• there is a lack of clarity over the central executive