Memory ( The working memory model) Flashcards
(16 cards)
What is the working memory model?
An explanation of how STM is organised and how it functions. Focusses on the four main parts of the mind that are active when we are temporarily storing and handling information
What is the working memory model proposed by ?
Baddeley and Hitch in 1974
What are the 4 main parts?
central executive, phonological loop, visuo-spatial sketch pad and episodic buffer
What is the central executive?
Attentional process that monitors incoming data, makes decisions about what information should be processed and allocates slave systems to tasks.
What kind of processing capacity does the central executive have?
Ver limited.
What’s the phonological loop?
Processes auditory information and preserves the order in which the information arrives. It’s subdivided into 2 stores.
What is the phonological loop subdivided into?
Phonological store and articulatory process
What is the phonological store?
subdivision of the phonological loop, temporarily stores verbal material (words you hear)
What’s the articulatory process?
Subdivision of the phonological loop, it does Maintenance rehearsal to keep stuff in the working memory while they’re needed (repeating sounds or words in a loop)
What’s the capacity of the articulatory process?
around 2 seconds.
What is the visuospatial sketchpad?
Stores and processes visual and spatial information when required. It has the visual cache and the inner scribe
What does the visual cache do?
Stores visual data (part of visuospatial sketch pad).
What does the inner scribe do?
Records the arrangement of objects in the visual field / processes spatial information
What is the capacity of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
It has a limited capacity of about 3 or 4 objects. (Baddeley 2003)
What is the episodic buffer?
Temporary store with integrates all kinds of information processed in the other sub systems and links it to the LTM, and wider cognitive processes.
Capacity of episodic buffer?
Around 2 seconds worth.
