Working memory model

Who came up with the working memory model?

Baddley and Hitch

What is the working memory model showing?

Short term memory (updated versions 1970s)

State the purpose of the working memory model?

to show an updated version of STM To challenge Atkinson and Shiffrin's multi-store model concept of a unitary as well as passive STM store which only rehearsed incoming information for transfer to the LTM

State the differences between the multi-store model and the working memory model depiction of STM?

working memory model shows a complex store made of a number of subcomponents because they found that articipants could rehearse a six digit number out loud and perform a sentence checking task at the same time without affecting purpose An active working memory store which stores as well as manipulates information that is being processed eg doing mental arithmatic

State the components shown in the working memory model?

central executive, Phonological loop - articulatory control system / loop, phonological store, Visuo-spatial sketchpad - inner scribe, visual cache

Outline the role of the central executive?

controls attention and directs info into the 2 slave systems and coordinates the operations of these. Has a very limited capacity. Has modality free coding. Involved in higher mental processes such as problem solving

Outline the role of the visuo-spatial sketchpad?

Also called the inner eye. Visual cache - stores visual info & uses visual code (represents info in the form of visual features like colour/shape/size). Inner scribe - Deals with spatial relationship with objects. Limited capacity of about 3-4 objects

Outline the role of the phonological loop?

inner eye. Acoustic coding. Subsystem: articulatory control-system - allows for sub-vocal repetition of items in a phonological store/ maintenance rehearsal time - based capacity (2s). Subsystem: phonological store - stores acoustic items (speech based sounds) for a short period of time

Outline the role of the episodic buffer?

this component binds and integrates info from all the other components and sends infoto the LTM. Maintains a sense of time sequencing. Has a limited capacity of about 4 chunks. links working memory to LTM

Outline a study used to understand how working memory operates?

Baddley . P asked to calculate number of windows in their house. To set up and manipulate the image (of house) we need the visuo spatial sketchpad and to sub vocally count the number of windows we need the phonological loop. The whole operation is run by the central executive

which component of the WMM directs information to the slave systems?

central executive

which component acts as a general storage space for both acoustic and visual information?

episodic buffer

which component deals with auditory information?

phonological loop

which component holds visual and spatial info for a very short time?

visuo - spatial sketchpad

which component holds info in a speech based form for 1-2s?

phonological store

which component rehearses verbal info?

articulatory control process

a dual task study is...

when participants complete 2 tasks at the same time

outline a study that supports the time-based limitation of the phonological loop?

- condition1 ppts are read 10 long words and asked to recall them.

- condition2: ppts are read the same number of shorter words and asked to recall them.

- shorter words were better recalled because there is a finite space for rehearsal in the articulatory process (about 2s) the longer words take longer to say and so exceed he 2s limit.

- the time based limitation of phonological loop makes it harder to recall as many long words as short words because fewer long words fit into the processing time available.

state a practical application for the knowledge of the time based limitation of the phonological loop?

helps us understand that some children who find it hard to learn to read may have a shorter than normal articulatory loop. strength of WMM

Explain supporting evidence for the working memory model?

- Baddeley et al found that ppts had more difficulty performing 2 visual tasks (tracking a light and describing the letter F) than when asked to perform a visual and verbal task simultaneously. when asked to perform visual vs verbal task - using VSS vs PL.

- using same slave system so it exceeds capacity of the visual spatial sketchpad

- shows STM has multiple components & we can multitask when using separate subsystems

Evaluate Baddley's dual task study - ppts had more difficulty performing 2 visual tasks (tracking a light and describing the letter F) than when asked to perform a visual and verbal task (tracking a light and verbal task)simultaneously

- lacks ecological validity as the task p's are asked to do is very artificial and they are unlikely to do this in real life. Reduces application to real life activities

outline clinical evidence supporting the working memory model?

KF damaged his brain resulting in poor STM for verbal info but could process visual info normally (he had difficulty with sounds but could recall letters and digits). this supports the existence of a separate visual and acoustic memory store as it suggests that the other areas of the memory remained intact

outline weaknesses of WMM?

There is lack of knowledge about the main component - Central executive. Might consist of separate components. The artificial environment makes the findings lack ecological/ external validity

Outline research support for the different components of the phonological loop?

Buchsbaum and D'Esposito carried out a review of brain scan studies to establish the location of the phonlogical loop system . studies suggested that different areas of the cortex were involved. this may suggest that the phonological loop can be broken down into further areas (phonological store and articulatory control)

what are strengths of the WMM?

- it is widely accepted as an imporvement from the MSM:

- unitary vs multiple components

- passive vs active

- Evidence from experiments and case studies of brain damaged patients suggests that STM does involve a number of interacting components

- It has practical applications e.g. it helps to understand that

some children who find learning to read difficult may have a

shorter than normal articulatory loop.

Evaluate evidence from patient KF

- evidence from brain damaged patients may not be reliable as tit concerns unique cases with patients who have had traumatic experiences that may change the behaviour of individuals and so the findings may not explain working memory n the general population

outline weaknesses of the WMM

- There is lack of knowledge about the main component - Central executive. Might consist of separate components. It's role is vague and hard to pinpoint as it is involved in all tasks and cannot be excluded in an experiment. It is also an unobservable concept and so we must make inferences.

- The artificial environment makes the findings lack ecological/ external validity. So difficult to generalise results.