Types of long term memory: session 8

Question 1

What is the working memory model by Baddeley and Hitch?

Answer 1

Model describing how the brain temporarily stores and manipulates information

Question 2

What are the parts of the working memory model

Answer 2

• Central executive
• Visuospatial sketch pad
• Episodic buffer
• Phonological loop

Question 3

Key points on the Central executive

Answer 3

• Role is to focus attention on most important task
• Coordinates 3 other components
• Limited capacity & can’t store information

Question 4

Key points on the phonological loop

Answer 4

• Coordinates auditory info
• Coding is acoustic
• Preserves order which info is processed
• Limited capacity
• 2 divisions:
• Phonological store
• Articulatory process

Question 5

What is the phonological store & articulatory process?

Answer 5

• Phonological store: stores spoken words (the inner ear)
• Articulatory process: stores written words (the inner voice)

Question 6

What is the Visuo-spatial sketchpad?

Answer 6

• Stores visual & special info
• Stored temporarily
• Limited capacity, 3-4 objects
• 2 divisions:
• Visual cache
• Inner scribe

Question 7

What is the visual cache & inner scribe?

Answer 7

Visual cache: Stores visual data e.g. colour, shape
Inner scribe: Stores the arrangement of objects within the visual field of view

Question 8

What is the Episodic buffer?

Answer 8

• Receive info from CE, PL, VSS & integrate them into episodes
• Temporarily stored
• Seperate from LTM but forms an important stage in long term episodic learning
• Limited capacity, 4 chunks

Question 9

What are strengths of the Working Memory Model?

Answer 9

• KF case study: suffered brain injury & his STM was impaired. He struggled to process auditory info but ability to recall visual info was unaffected = evidence for different slave systems which code verbal/ auditory & visual info
• Dual task performance: as recollection of digits increased answers of true or false took longer. Baddeleys concluded verbal reasoning used CE & digits used PL

Question 10

What are limitations of the Working Memory Model?

Answer 10

• Lack of detail in role of CE: could be due to difficulty of operationalising. Could be more than one CE component
• Dual task performance relies on highly controlled lab experiment which aren’t ecologically valid