WMM

• Working Memory Model - Central Executive

  • controls attention and coordinates the sub-systems
  • monitors the overall memory systems
  • allocates the cognitive memory tasks to the appropriate subsystems such as the phonological loop
• Working Memory Model - Phonological Loop

  Processes auditory information, is made up of two parts:

  • phonological store - auditory information enters memory here but can only be stored for around 2 seconds if not passed through the articulatory loop
  • articulatory loop - auditory information is rehearsed here silently (sub vocally) in order to be remembered
• Working Memory Model - Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad

  Processes visual information, such as images or light and spatial information such as direction
• Main Assumptions Of The WWM

  • short term memory is more dynamic and complex than suggested by the msm
  • visual and auditory info is processed in separate areas of memory
  • both the phonological loop and the visuo-spatial sketchpad have a very limited capacity
• Strengths of the WMM - Paulesu et al (1993)

  Supporting the phonological store and articulatory loop:

  Did PET scans that showed the Broca's area (speech area) active during sub vocal rehearsal and supramarginnal gyrus (language processing) active when phonological store is being used
• Strengths of the WMM - Baddeley and Hitch (1976)

  Supporting the idea of different sub systems:

  • ppts undertook 2 visual tasks at once = poor performance -> because 2 visual tasks were competing for the limited resource of the visuo-spatial sketchpad
  • ppts undertook tasks separately = good performance
  • ppts undertook visual & verbal task at the same time = same as doing tasks individually -> because it was using two different subsystems
• Weaknesses of WMM - Darling et al (1993)

  Against the idea that the visuo-spatial sketchpad is one unit:

  • 30 black and white squares, one with a 'P' in it
  • ppts asked to recall appearance or position of the P
  • they were given either visual or spatial interference
  • visual interference did not affect spatial recall and vice versa
  • provides evidence for separate visual and spatial stores
• Weakness of WMM - Lieberman (1980)

  Against the idea that the visuo-spatial sketchpad is one unit:

  • VSSP implies that spatial information was first visual information
  • blind people have good spatial awareness but no visual information
  • suggests the VSSP should be two stores
• Weakness of WMM - Eslinger and Damasio (1986)

  Weakness of central executive

  • after someone had a brain tumour removed, reasoning tests showed they had an intact CE, yet they had poor decision making skills
  • suggests the central executive could be multiple parts
• Who proposed the WMM theory

  Baddeley and Hitch (1974)