WMM evaluation

• A01 :The 1974 WMM by Baddeley and Hitch is an explanation of STM. It is concerned with the mental space that is active when we temporarily store and manipulate information which we hold in our memory simultaneously e.g. when doing mental arithmeti
• A01: The WMM assumes there are different slave systems rather than a unitary system for memory and is made up of three components the central executive, the phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketchpad. All of these components have limited capacity
• A01: The central executive drives the whole system. It is said to monitor incoming information, makes decisions and control the subsystems as it allocates them to tasks. It is involved in problem solving and controls attention i.e. focuses, divides and switches our limited attention.
• The supporting study from Baddley et al's Dual Task Paradigm 1975 found that participants could perform two tasks simultaneously  if they belonged to different slave systems. But their performance would decline significantly if both tasks were verbal or both visual.
• Baddley et al's Dual Task Paradigm

  1975

  found that participants could perform two tasks simultaneously  if they belonged to different slave systems. But their performance would decline significantly if both tasks were verbal or both visual.
• Each of the different components of the WMM has its own specific function. The central executive acts as a supervisor, directing attention and allocating slave systems to tasks. The Visuo Spatial Sketchpad (VSS) subsystem can process visual input such as images or light, and spatial information such as direction. It can temporarily store visual and spatial information when required but has limited capacity, which is about three or four objects.
• The Phonological Look (PL) processes auditory and written information. It is subdivided into the phonological store, which temporarily holds sounds, and the articulatory process, which allows for maintenance rehearsal of sounds. It is believed to have a limited capacity of two seconds.
• Baddeley & Hitch (1976) conducted the dual task paradigm study. Procedure 


  task A Participants asked to complete two tasks involving tracking a light, afterwards they had to imagine angles in a capital letter. Task B did both tasks from A simultaneously. task C tested with visual and verbal task simultaneously. A, when completing visual tasks separately, participants’ performance wasnt impaired. However, in B when completing visual tasks at same time, performance was. In C when completing tasks simultaneously testing visual tracking task, verbal attention, were able to do both at same time.
• However, Shallice and Warrington studied LH and VSS is not one unit . LH was involved in a road accident. This lead to him showing poor performance when asked to remember colour and shapes but then performed well at tasks related to spatial information.
• Shallice and Warrington


  studied LH and VSS is not one unit . LH was involved in a road accident. This lead to him showing poor performance when asked to remember colour and shapes but then performed well at tasks related to spatial information.
• Smith et al used MRI and PET scans to locate different areas of the brain while undertaking verbal and visual tasks. From these scans he was able to locate the phonological loop in the left hemisphere (specifically in the temporal lobe) and the VSS in the right hemisphere (with simple tasks in the occipital lobe and the complicated tasks in the parietal lobe).
• Smith et al


  used MRI and PET scans to locate different areas of the brain while undertaking verbal and visual tasks. From these scans he was able to locate the phonological loop in the left hemisphere (specifically in the temporal lobe) and the VSS in the right hemisphere (with simple tasks in the occipital lobe and the complicated tasks in the parietal lobe).
• Each of the different components of the WMM has its own specific function. The central executive acts as a supervisor, directing attention and allocating slave systems to tasks. The Visuo Spatial Sketchpad (VSS) subsystem can process visual input such as images or light, and spatial information such as direction. It can temporarily store visual and spatial information when required but has limited capacity, which is about three or four objects.
• The Phonological Look (PL) processes auditory and written information. It is subdivided into the phonological store, which temporarily holds sounds, and the articulatory process, which allows for maintenance rehearsal of sounds. It is believed to have a limited capacity of two seconds.