The working memory model

Cards (8)

  • Baddeley and Hitch proposed the WMM as an explanation of how the STM works. They proposed that the STM was not a unitary store but several different stores, which are all connected but work independently as an active processor. It views memory as active rather then passive (contrasting the MSM)
  • Central executive
    > The central executive is an attentional process that monitors incoming data and decides what needs to be done, and delegates the tasks accordingly - can code any type of information.
    > The CE keeps any eye on what is happening in the slave systems and takes over the most demanding task were necessary. Any task requiring concentration will overload the CE as it has a limited capacity
  • Phonological loop -
    > auditory information is passed from the CE to the PL
    > Baddeley further subdivided the PL into 2 parts
    1. phonological store - inner ear
    2. articulatory loop - inner voice
    Limited capacity and codes acoustically
  • Visuo-spatial sketchpad (VSS)
    > Visual information is passed from the CE to the VSS - inner eye
    > sets up images eg. giving directions
    > Logie subdivided VSS into:
    1. visual cache - visual data
    2. inner scribe - records arrangement of objects in visual field
    Limited capacity (3-4 objects) and codes visually
  • Episodic buffer (EB)
    > General store, later added by Baddeley and Hitch. The EB collects and combines info from the CE, PL and VSS to record an event. The EB transfers information to the LTM and is used to retrieve information from the LTM to the STM.
    > Limited capacity and can code any type of info
  • WMM AO3
    :) RTS Shallice and Warrington - patient kf
    DISSCUSSION low population validity
    :) Dual task performance - Baddeley
    :( Lack of clarity over CE
  • WMM AO3
    :) RTS Shallice and Warrington
    > Patient KF
    > Recall poor when digits were read aloud to him
    > Recall better when KF could read them himself
    > Therefore there must be different stores within the STM
  • WMM AO3
    :) Dual task performance - limited capacity
    > Baddeley found participants had more difficulty when performing two visual tasks at the same time compared to when they completed a visual and a verbal task
    > Suggesting the slave systems have a limited capacity