Working Memory Model - Baddeley and Hitch 1974

Question 1

What did Baddeley and Hitch argue about the MSM?

Answer 1

Argued it was far too simple

Question 2

What are the differences between the MSM and the working memory model?

Answer 2

Only one STM store in the MSM

Multi-store model focuses on rehearsal

Working memory model - greater 2 way exchange of information

Question 3

Why was the working memory model developed?

Answer 3

Developed in response to the MSM being too simplistic

Question 4

What did the working memory model propose?

Answer 4

That the STM isn’t a single store and that it should be replaced with memory that consists of several subsystems

Question 5

What does the working memory consist of?

Answer 5

Different subsystems (known as slave systems) for different types of information

Question 6

What are the different subsystems in the working memory model?

Answer 6

Central executive

Phonological loop

Visuo-spatial sketch pad

Question 7

What is the central executive responsible for?

Answer 7

Monitoring and coordinating the slave systems

Decides which information is attended to by working memory and where that information should be sent

Question 8

What does the central executive direct?

Answer 8

Directs attention and gives priority to particular activities

Question 9

What does the visuo-spatial sketchpad carry out?

Answer 9

Visual processing tasks

Question 10

What does the phonological loop carry out?

Answer 10

Verbal processing tasks

Question 11

Why is it more difficult to perform two visual or two verbal tasks at the same time?

Answer 11

They interfere with each other and performance is reduced

Question 12

What does the phonological loop deal with?

Answer 12

Deals with verbal information (spoken and written material)

Question 13

What does the phonological loop act as?

Answer 13

Acts as an inner ear and holds information in a speech based form for 1-2 second

Question 14

How do spoken words enter the phonological store?

Answer 14

Enter the store directly

Question 15

How do written words enter the phonological store?

Answer 15

Must first be converted into an articulatory (spoken) code before they can enter the phonological store

Question 16

What does the articulatory loop act as?

Answer 16

Acts like an inner voice rehearsing information from the phonological store

Circulates information round and round like a tape loop

Question 17

What does the articulatory control process do?

Answer 17

Converts written material into an articulatory code and transfers it to the phonological store

Question 18

What does the visuo-spatial sketchpad deal with?

Answer 18

Deals with visual and spatial information

Question 19

What does the visuo-spatial sketchpad help us do?

Answer 19

Plays an important role in helping up keep track of where we are in relation to other objects as we move through our environment

Question 20

What did Baddeley’s 2000 original model failed to explain?

Answer 20

Failed to explain the results of various experiments

Question 21

How did Baddeley update his original 2000 model?

Answer 21

He added an additional component called the episodic buffer

Question 22

What does the episodic buffer act as?

Answer 22

Acts as a ‘back up’ store which communicates with both long-term memory and the components of working memory

Question 23

What are the strengths/supporting evidence of the working memory model?

Answer 23

KF

Baddeley and Hitch 1976 experiment

Useful applications in education

Scientific approach

Psychology over time

Question 24

What are the weaknesses/refuting evidence of the working memory model?

Answer 24

Liebermann

Artificial memory tasks

Further clarity needed regarding some components

More work needed to better clarify some key components such as the central executive

Question 25

Why is Liebermann (1980) refuting evidence for the working memory model?

Answer 25

The visuo-spatial sketchpad implies that all spatial information was first visual

Liebermann points out that blind people have excellent spatial awareness although they have never had an visual information

Question 26

Why is KF supporting evidence for the working memory model?

Answer 26

KF’s impairment was mainly for verbal information - his memory for visual information was largely unaffected.

This shows that there are separate STM components for visual information (visa spatial sketchpad) and verbal information (phonological loop)

Question 27

Why is Baddeley and Hitch supporting evidence for the working memory model?

Answer 27

Demonstrated the existence of the visa-spatial sketchpad by using dual task paradigm

Question 28

Why is artificial tasks a weakness of the working memory model?

Answer 28

Artificial tasks such as learning word lists or remembering stories rely heavily on either visual or sound information whilst in real life; tasks tend to involve many of the senses combined - said to lack validity

Question 29

Why is useful applications in society a strength of the working memory model?

Answer 29

Research into working memory has helped identify children who have working memory impairments which may hinder their progress in education

Such impairments may include difficulty concentrating and remembering lengthy instructions

Question 30

Why is psychological understanding a strength of the working memory model?

Answer 30

Baddeley conducted numerous memory experiments in the 1960s leading to his model of working memory in 1974

He continued to carry out experiments and also used evidence from brain scans - from these findings he adjusted his model in 2003 by adding the episodic buffer