AO1 - Working Memory Model

• INTRO TO ESSAY: Baddeley and Hitch proposed the Working Memory Model as an explanation of how the STM works. They proposed that the STM was not a unitary store (unlike the MSM), but several different stores which are all connected, but work independently as an active processor. It views memory as active rather than passive, contrasting the MSM.
• Central Executive:

  • attentional process that monitors incoming data and decides what needs to be done and when
  • delegates tasks to the slave systems - it can code any type of information
  • keeps an eye on what is happening in the slave systems and takes over the most demanding task when necessary - any task that is new/requires concentration will overload the central executive as it has a very limited capacity
• Phonological Loop:

  • auditory information is passed from the central executive to the phonological loop
  • phonological store - stores the words that we hear (inner ear)
  • articulatory loop - silently repeats words that are seen or heard to keep them in memory (inner voice)
  • has a limited capacity and codes acoustically
• Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad:

  • visual information is passed from the central executive to the visuo-spatial sketchpad like an inner eye
  • responsible for setting up mental images and is what you use if you plan a spatial task
  • temporarily stores visual and spatial information
  • visual cache - stores visual information
  • inner scribe - records the arrangement of objects in the visual field
  • limited capacity (3-4 objects) and codes visually
• Episodic Buffer:

  • general store, collects and combines information from all stores to record an event
  • transfers information to the LTM and is used to retrieve information from the LTM to the STM
  • has a limited capacity (4 chunks) an can code any type of information
• CODING:

  Central Executive - any type of information

  Phonological Loop - acoustically

  Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad - visually

  Episodic Buffer - any type of information
• CAPACITY:

  Central Executive - very limited

  Phonological Loop - limited

  Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad - 3-4 objects (limited)

  Episodic Buffer - 4 chunks (limited)
• If a person completes two tasks at the same time that use the same slave system, the performance is reduced (as they have a limited capacity), but not if the tasks use different slave systems (no competition for limited capacity)