WMM

• who proposed the working memory model?

  baddeley & hitch in 1974

  
• what is the working memory model?

  how short-term memory functions when working on a task
• what are the 4 main components of the WMM?

  1. central executive
  2. phonological loop
  3. visuospatial sketchpad
  4. episodic buffer
• outline the role of the central executive

  allocates "slave" systems to tasks
• what's the capacity of the central executive?

  very limited
• explain the role of the phonological loop

  • deals with auditory information

  1. phonological store - words you hear
  2. articulatory process - sub-vocal rehearsal
• how is the phonological loop coded?

  acoustically
• what's the capacity of the articulatory process of the phonological loop?

  2 seconds
• outline the role of the visuospatial sketchpad

  • stores visual and spatial information

  1. visual cache - stores visual data
  2. inner scribe - records arrangement of objects
• what's the capacity of the visuospatial sketchpad?

  3 to 4 objects
• outline the role of the episodic buffer

  integrates visual, spatial and verbal information

  • maintains time sequencing
  • links working memory to LTM and perception
• what's the capacity of the episodic buffer?

  4 chunks
• weakness - simplistic

  • central executive is vague
  • Baddeley - lacks direct empirical support
  • difficult to test and measure
• strength - research support

  • Baddeley & Hitch used dual-task studies
  • when tasks used different components, performance was unaffected
  • lack ecological validity
• strength - case study

  • KF suffered brain damage
  • phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad are separate
  • lacks generalisability