Working memory model

• The working memory model is an explanation of how short-term memory is organised, and how it functions

  It consists of four main components, each of which is different, especially in terms of coding and capacity
• Central executive

  supervisory role

  monitors incoming data

  focuses and divides limited attention

  Very limited processing capacity, doesn't store data

  no coding type
• phonological loop

  auditory information, coding is acoustic

  preserves the order information arrives in

  phonological store - stores words you hear

  articulatory process - allows maintenance rehearsal of a 2 second loop
• Visio-spatial sketchpad

  stores visual and spatial information

  capacity of about 3-4 objects

  visual cache- stores visual data

  inner scribe - records arrangement of objects in visual field
• episodic buffer

  temporary store for information

  sense of time sequencing

  limited to 4 chunks

  links working memory to long term memory
• A strength is the case study of KF

  after his brain injury, he had poor STM ability for auditory information but could process visual information normally

  However, it is unclear whether KF had other cognitive impairments which might have affected his performance on memory

  his injury was caused in a motorcycle accident so the trauma may have affected his cognitive performance
• a strength is dual task performance supports the differnt types of STM

  baddeleys participants carried out a visual and verbal task at the same time, their performance on each was similar to when they carried out the task separately, but when both tasks were visual or verbal performance on both declined

  This shows there must be a separate subsystem that processes is visual input and verbal processing
• One limitation is that there is a lack of clarity over the nature of the central executive

  The central executive needs to be more clearly specified and just being simply attention. For example, some psychologists believe the central executive may consist of separate sub components.

  This challenges the integrity of the working memory model