The Working Memory Model

The Working Memory Model

1. it is an explanation of how one aspect of memory (STM) is organised and how it functions. It is concerned with the part of the mind that is active when we are temporarily storing/manipulating info.

   • FOUR MAIN COMPONENTS: CENTRAL EXECUTIVE/ PHONOLOGICAL LOOP/ VISUO-SPATIAL SKETCHPAD/ EPISODIC BUFFER

2. 1. CENTRAL EXECUTIVE

   • attentional process that monitors incoming data, makes decisions, allocates slave systems to tasks
   • very limited processing capacity

3. 2. PHONOLOGICAL LOOP

   • example of a slave system
   • deals with auditory info and preserves the order in which the info arrives
   • PHONOLOGICAL STORE; stores the words you hear
   • ARTICULATORY PROCESS; allows maintenance rehersal (repeating sounds in a loop). The capacity of this loop is 2 seconds worth of what you can say.

4. 3. VISUO-SPATIAL SKETCHPAD

   • Stores visual/ spatial info
   • limited capacity- about 3/4 objects
   • VISUAL CACHE- stores visual data
   • INNER SCRIBE- records the arrangement of objects in the visual field

5. 4. EPISODIC BUFFER

   • temporary store for info, integrating the visual, spatial and verbal info processed by other stores
   • records episodes that are happening
   • can be seen as the storage component of the central executive
   • has a limited capacity of about 4 chunks