Working memory model

Working memory model

1. Basics

   • Developed by Baddeley & Hitch 1974
   • Replaces concept of STM as unitary store

2. Central Executive

   • Controls attention & subsidiary slave systems
   • No storage capacity
   • Allocates slave system to tasks & uses data from sensory &/or LTM

3. Visuo-spatial sketchpad

   • Visual store - 'inner eye'
   • Limited capacity
     • Baddeley 1973
   • Transfer to visual LTM

4. Phonological loop

   • Limited capacity in time
     • Baddeley 1975
       • 2 seconds
   • Auditory store
     • Phonological store
       • for acoustically encoded items
         • 'inner ear'
     • Articulatory control system
       • for verbal rehearsal (speech, reading)
         • 'inner voice'
   • Transfer to language LTM

5. Episodic buffer

   • Temporary storage system for information from other systems to combine
     • LTM & other slave systems
   • Can combine diverse information
     • Auditory
     • Visual
     • LTM
   • Transfer to episodic LTM