Working Memory Model and Related Studies

Vocabulary flashcards covering key terms and concepts from the lecture notes on the Working Memory Model (WMM) and related studies.

Central Executive

The attention-controlling component of the Working Memory Model that coordinates the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad, directs attention, and decides how to allocate processing resources.

Phonological Loop

WM subsystem handling spoken and written language, consisting of the phonological store and the articulatory control process.

Phonological Store

Inner ear: holds speech-based information for about 1–2 seconds.

Articulatory Control Process

Inner voice that rehearses information from the phonological store and converts written material into articulatory code for retention.

Visuospatial Sketchpad

WM subsystem that processes visual and spatial information and supports updating one's position relative to objects in the environment.

Episodic Buffer

A later-added component that binds information from the subsystems with long-term memory into coherent episodes.

Multistore Model (MSM)

Atkinson & Shiffrin's model proposing separate short-term and long-term stores (an early memory model).

Working Memory Model (WMM)

Baddeley and Hitch’s model of memory with central executive, phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad, and episodic buffer.

Articulatory Suppression

Concurrent repeating of syllables or numbers to occupy the articulatory loop and disrupt rehearsal, reducing recall.

Landry and Bartling (2011)

Experiment showing articulatory suppression reduces recall of a written list of phonologically dissimilar letters in serial recall (control ~76% vs suppression ~45%; p<0.01).

Serial Recall

Remembering items in their original order, used to assess accuracy in recall tasks.

Articulatory Rehearsal

Process of silently repeating information to maintain it in the phonological loop.

KF

Patient with intact LTM but impaired STM, especially for verbal information; visual memory relatively preserved; evidence for separate STM stores.

Memory Span

Capacity of short-term memory to hold a sequence of items for a short period.

Rehearsal

Maintenance of information in working memory through continuous repetition.

STM

Short-term memory; temporary storage for small amounts of information for a brief duration.

LTM

Long-term memory; stores information for extended periods and interacts with WM during retrieval.

Verbal vs Visual STM

KF’s case suggested verbal STM impairments with relative preservation of visual memory, supporting separate STM components for verbal and visual information.

Two Systems Interference

Evidence that separate systems process visual and verbal information; performing two tasks in the same domain (visual or verbal) interferes more than cross-domain tasks.

Central Executive as Attentional Controller

Conceptualizes the central executive as a 'boss' that directs attention, prioritizes tasks, and coordinates processing across subsystems.

Rehearsal and Encoding

Rehearsal strengthens memory traces in the phonological loop and supports encoding into LTM.