The Working memory model

Baddely + Hitch (1974)
STM isn't a single store
2 visual tasks performed less well at same time/separately
1 visual + 1 auditory task: performed well at both same + separate as no…
This shows there's 2 separate stores: … + … processing

interference, visual and auditory

1. Central executive (CE): directs attention, allocated resources, coordinates
   Data comes from senses or…
   Very limited capacity

LTM

2. Phonological loop (PL): auditory information, preserves order
   (hard to listen to podcast + friend talking) limited capacity
   Baddely divided PL into:
   Phonological store (holds words you hear)
   Articulatory process (holds words you hear/see)-form of maintenance rehearsal
   PS capacity=…?

duration

3. Visuo-spatial sketchpad: temporary store for visual + spatial (define:..) info
   Logie subdivided VSS into:
   Visual cache: stores form + colour
   Inner scribe: stores arrangement of objects in visual field

physical relationship between things

4. Episodic buffer: general store, integrates info from CE, PL + VSS, maintains sense of time sequencing-records… ….(episodes)
   Sends info to LTM

events happening

AO3- Evaluation: strength
Actively manipulates + processes info, rather than temporarily holding it.
Active processing by CE enables higher cognitive processes like problem solving and decision making.
However, active processing's vunerable to overload, causing errors+slower processing.
Therefore, this strength = it's… as…

main limitation, simultaneous tasks can be difficult or prone to errors

AO3- Evaluation: strength
Case studies of brain damaged patients support separate subsystems in WMM.
Shallice + Warrington (1970) KF- worse forgetting of auditory verbal info than visual stimuli- indicates damage to phonological loop.
Therefore, supports idea of separate…

visual and spatial systems in WMM

AO3- Evaluation: limitation
Evidence from brain damaged patients have significant problems.
Case studies are of unique individuals- cannot be generalised to population.
Brain injury is traumatic and may change behaviour which reduces task performance.
Therefore, this is an issue for WMM as…

key supporting research comes from case studies

AO3- Evaluation: limitation
Central executive = too vague + doesn't explain anything.
CE seems to just allocate resources (essentially same as attention)
Eslinger + Damasio (1995) EVR- had cerebral tumor removed.
Had good reasoning - suggests CE intact
HOWEVER, poor decision making- CE not intact
Therefore, WMM's account of CE= … as…

too vague, CE may be more complex