THEORY; WORKING MODEL OF MEMORY

Working model of memory components

Central executive

Attention control system that monitors/coordinates the operations of subordinate components (slave systems).

• limited capacity

• modality free- can process any kind of sensory information (auditory/visual)

• retrieves information from the LTM

Coordinates activity in 2 ways;

• Automatic level; based on habits relying on schemas, controlled more or less automatically by environmental stimuli

• Supervisory attention level; planning + decision making. creates new strategies when the old are insufficient / in an emergency

Phonological Loop

Auditory component of the STM- deals with written/spoken language.

• Phonological store/inner ear

→ stores acoustic items (words recently heard)

→ memory trace lasts up to 2 seconds if not rehearsed

receives information directly from

→ sensory memory (auditory material)

→ LTM (verbal information)

→ articulatory control system

• Articulatory control system/inner voice

→ holds information in a verbal form repeated in an inner voice

Articulatory suppression

Asking participants to perform a verbal task at the same time as a verbal recall task.

Studies using articulatory suppression show that concurrent tasks decrease accuracy of recall- phonological rehearsal system is overloaded.

Evidence for the Phonological Loop

Study by Landry and Bartling (2011)

• shows articulatory suppression prevents rehearsal in the phonological loop because of overload; Participants try to memorize 7 letters while reciting the numbers “1” and “2”

• The PL holds 1.5-2s of information so longer words are harder to remember.

• Word length effect disappears in a person is given an articulatory suppression task. The task overloads the phonological loop so words cannot be rehearsed in general, short or long.