The WMM Flashcards
(25 cards)
What is the WMM?
A representation of short-term memory (STM). It suggests that STM is a dynamic processor of different types of information using different subunits coordinated by a central decision-making system
What is the role of the CE?
It is essentially an attentional process that has a “supervisory” role. It focuses, divides and switches our limited attention. It monitors incoming data makes decisions and allocates slave subsystems to tasks.
What is the capacity of the CE?
Very limited
What is stored in the CE?
Nothing. Not even briefly
What is the role of the phonological loop?
It deals with auditory information and preserves the order in which information arrives
How is the phonoligical loop encoded?
Acoustically
What is the PL subdivided into?
- The articulatory process
- The phonological store
What is the role of the articulatory process?
It allows maintenance rehearsal. (repeating sound)
What is the capacity of the AP?
is believed to be 2 seconds worth of what you can say
What is the phonoligcal store?
It stores auditory information
What is the role of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?
It can temporarily store visual and/or spatial information when required
What is the capacity of the VSS?
About 3-4 objects
What is the VSS divided into?
- The visual cache
- The inner scribe
What does the visual cache do?
Stores visual data (images)
What does the inner scribe do?
Records the arrangement of objects in the visual field. Process where you can rehearse visual/spatial information.
What is the role of the episodic buffer?
It is a temporary store that integrates the acoustic, visual and spatial information processed by the other subsytems. It maintains a sense of time sequencing, basically recording events that are happening.
What is the capacity of the episodic buffer?
About 4 chunks.
What study suppost the WMM?
Baddely found that when ppts performed a visual and verbal task together (duel- task performance), performance on each was no worse than when they carried them out separately but declined when the same subunits are used twice. This supports the WMM because it shows there must be seperate slave subsytems that process visual and verbal input.
What is a weakness of the CE?
Is an unsatisfactory component and doesn’t explain anything.
The CE is the most important but least understood component of the working memory.
The CE needs to be more clearly specified than just being simply “attention.” Suspects consist of separate subcomponents.
The wmm has not been fully explained.
How does brain imaging studies support the WMM?
Brain imaging studies show that specific parts of the brain light up when certain tasks are performed. This shows that separate systems (like in the model) are at work
How do brain damaged patiens support the WMM?
Studies on memory on brain damaged patiens perform better on certain tasks using visual imagery as opposed to verbal information, showing separate systems are at work
How does KF suppoer the WMM?
KF is a patient that experience amnesia after a brain injury. He had poor short term memory for auditory information, but could process information relaticely normally. KF’s phonological loop had been damaged but his VSS was intact
What did the study by Paulesu et al. (1993) show about the phonological loop?
Paulesu et al. used PET scans during memory tasks. Different areas of the brain were activated for the articulatory control process (Broca’s area) and the phonological store (left supramarginal gyrus), showing that the phonological loop has separate subcomponents.
What is a criticism of the dual-task studies?
Many dual-task experiments are artificial and done in lab settings, lacking ecological validity. Participants may also try harder due to demand characteristics, weakening the real-world relevance of the findings.
