Working Memory Model

What is the context of the WMM?

• STM more useful than MSM suggested

• Rehearsal is not the only way that info get to LTM

• MSM’s STM cannot example dual task performance

What is the WMM?

• a multi-component, flexible system

• A dynamic & active processor of different types of info

• Short term storage of info (like STM)

• Processes info which we are consciously aware of

What does the WMM comprise of?

• central executive

• Visio-spatial sketchpad

• Episodic buffer

• Phonological loop

Describe the central executive

• Controls attention and the subsystems

• Receives info from SM and allocates it to the appropriate subsystem

• Processes info in any modality

• Limited capacity = 3-5 item

 

Describe the Visio-spatial sketchpad

• Inner eye

• Stores and processes visual and spatial info

• Sets up and manipulates mental image - elephant & ice hockey

• Has 2 components

  • Visual cache - passive store of form and colour

  • Inner scribe - an active store - concerned with the spatial arrangement of objects

Describe the episodic buffer

• Added in 2000

• Integrates and manipulates info from CE, VSS, PL & LTM

• Allows us to 'work' on information

• Limited capacity = ~ 4 items

Who created the WMM?

Baddeley & Hitch (1974)

Draw a diagram of the WMM

Describe the phonological loop

• Stores and processes speech and language based information

• Limited capacity - how much you can say in 2s

• 2 components

  • Phonological store - inner ear

    • Stores words recently heard

  • Articulatory process - inner voice

    • Subvocal repetition - maintenance rehearsal

How does Baddeley’s Dual Task Effect support WMM?

P: asked Ps to perform 2 tasks at the same time - 2 visual tasks, 1 visual and 1 verbal task

E: visual and verbal performed much enter at both tasks

T:

• no competition win the subsystems when performing a verbal and visual task together

• Shows there must be a separate subsystem that processes visual input & verbal processing

How does a case study support WMM?

P: Case Study of KF

E:

• forgot more auditory info than visual info

• Auditory forgetting was worse for verbal material e.g. letters/digits - but not for meaningful sounds

T:

• suggests PL was damaged but VVS was intact

• Findings strongly supports the existence of separate visual & acoustic memory stores

• But case studies cannot be generalised to the population

How does the central executive refute the WMM?

P: argued concept of CE is too vague and doesn’t really explain anything

E:

• Seems to be the same as ‘attention’

• Case study EVR with cerebral tumour removed - performed well on reasoning tests but had poor decision making skills

• Shows parts of CE intact and other parts not wholly intact

T:

• shows there’s more likely several components to CE

• Probably more complex than Baddeley suggested

How the WMM actively processing info refute the model?

• P: active processing component is responsible for higher level cognitive functions e.g. problem-solving

E:

• working memory’s strength as an active processor is inextricably linked to its vulnerability to overload

• Can result in slower processing and breakdown in performance

T: explains why tasks requiring attention to multiple pieces of info can be challenging and prone too errors