The Working Model Of Memory Flashcards
Does the working model of memory concern long-term memory or short memory?
Short term memory
What is the working model of memory?
A model of how short term memory is organised
What does the working model of memory propose about shorter memory?
It’s proposes that short term memory is more complex than just being a temporary store for transferring information to long-term memory, rather, they saw short term memory as an active processor, holding several pieces of information simultaneously while they are being ‘worked on’
E.g. when working on a maths problem or comprehending language
Who proposed the Working model of memory
Baddely and Hitch
Components of WMM
1.overall charge
2,3,4 (slave systems)
Central executive
Visuospatial sketchpad, episodic buffer, phonological loop
Components of WMM
A01: WMM
A model of how STM is organised
Represent STM being more complex than MSM because it views STM as an active processor which holds serves pieces of information simultaneously whilst they are being worked on
Baddely and Hitch proposed a model which had multiple components.
Components of WMM
Central executive:
1
2
3
4
In overall charge.
Received information from the sensory information
Coordinate the 3 slave system and allocated information to relevant slave systems
ATTENTIONAL PROCESSOR and modality free
Components of WMM
Phonological loop
Responsible for processing sound based info (1)
Preserved the order of words (1)
Limited capacity (1)
Temporary storage system
which codes information acoustically in terms of pitch volume and tone (1)
Components of WMM
Visuospatial sketchpad
Another slave system deals with temporary storage of visual and spatial information
e.g what things looks like (shapes and sizes and relationships between objects)
Dual task performance:
When Meghan plays games on her laptop she can concentrate on what her lecturer is saying but cannot when her friend talks to her
Using knowledge of WMM explain
Lecturer saying (PL)
Game visually ( VS)
2 diff component of STM
Listens to Jess (PL)
Both phonological STM
Overloading 1 stage
Components of WMM
Episodic buffer:
A general storage facility which combines info from other stores
(visual, spatial and verbal and LTM)
temp stores this info then integrates it in order to construct a mental episode of what is being experienced righ now
Modality free
Evaluation of WMM
S:
S:
L:
L:
S Dual task experiment
S: clinical evidence
L: no clarity over central executive
Evaluation of MSM
Dual task support
A strength of Model is that is is supported by dual task experiment which’s supports the existence of the slave systems
Baddely conducted a lab experiment
Ps given a visual task (track a moving light with pointer) at the same time as completing a visual task (describe all angles on F)
Or verbal task (verbal reasoning task)
Harder when visual and visual
Provides eveidence that there are separate slave systems
One that deals with visuospatial info
One that deals with phonological info.
Evaluation of WMM
Clinical evidence from patient with brain damage
KF
KF case study:
Damage to his phonological loop
he could not process auditory information but could process visual information.
This supports the WMM as it shows there are separate stores for processing these different types of information.
Countering clinical evidence - it is unclear whether KF had other cognitive impairments than just damage to his phonological loops which may have affected his motor skills. This goes against the WMM as brain injuries may have affected multiple systems in the brain.
Cant be applied to all
Evaluation of MSM
No clarity over central executive
“Allocates resources to relevant slave systems and attentional process”
Many psychologists believe this is too vague and unclear regarding what it actually does
Actually that CE consist of several components rather than just one
Limitation as it shows the WMM has not fully explained CE.
