Lesson 6: Evaluation of the WMM

Question 1

Neurobiological evidence for the WMM

Answer 1

• shallice and warrington (1970) reported the case study of KF
• due to motorbike accident, had poor STM for words presented verbally but not visually
• suggests there is more than one type of STM, as the WMM suggests -> in this case, one for verbal tasks (phonological loop) and another for visual tasks (visuo-spatial sketchpad)

Question 2

Laboratory experiments for WMM

Answer 2

baddeley and hitch (1974) gave pps a dual task- were asked to complete a reasoning task (central executive) and simulataneously a reading aloud task (phonological loop)
- pps could do both tasks very well, supporting the idea of separate components in the STM

baddeley et al (1975) gave pps a brief visual presentation of lists of words
- the lists either made up of short or long words-> pps asked to recall list immediately in order
- was found pps could recall more short than long words
- they called this the ‘world length effect’ concluding it supports idea that phonological loop can hold as many items as can be said in 1.5-2 seconds rather than being limited by 7(±2) items as the MSM argues

Question 3

General evaluation of the WMM

1 positive 1 negative

Answer 3

(+) has practical applications; it improved understanding of how people can learn to read so helped psychologists assist those with Dyslexia who can struggle with reading

(-) criticised by several psychologists as they think the idea of a central executive is vague and untestable
- damasio (1985) presented the case of EVR who had a cerebral tumour removed
- he had good reasoning skills, suggesting his central executive was intact, but he could not make decisions, suggesting his central executive was damaged
- this case study indicates central executive is more complicated than WMM claims