Working Memory Model (Baddely & Hitch 1974)

Working Memory Model (Baddely & Hitch 1974)

1. Central Executive

   • Info from different sources together coordinating the parts of working memory.
   • Controls flow of info within the STM.
   • Picks what needs to be attended to, switches attention and the connects to the LTM.

2. Phonological Loop

   • Short-term phonological loop (primary store) - holds auditory memory traces which decay rapidly after a few seconds - inner ear.
   • Articulatory loop (rehearsal part). - receives memory traces by rehearsing them (sub-vocal speech) - inner voice.

3. Visual-Spatial Scratch Pad

   • Holds the info that we see and is used to manipulate visual information (shapes and colours etc.)
   • Capacity: 3-4 Objects.
   • Anything to do with spatial awareness (finding your way through a building/doing a jigsaw) - inner eye.
   • Pad divided into visual, spatial and kinesthetic parts.

4. Evaluation

   • A: Baddeley - conducted dual tasks on young, elderly and Alzheimers using verbal and visual tasks together or separately. Performance of Alzheimer's did not differ significantly from other groups when performing visual or verbal but showed impairment when doing them both together. CE is responsible for the coordination of subsystems shows problems with CE.
   • SS: Shallice & Warrington - Suffered with STM impairment from a motorbike accident. He had a digit span of 1 suggesting a gross impairment in his phonological loop but the visual memory was intact. Supporting idea of separate stores
   • CC: Case study evidence can be seen as valid as it provides rich in-depth data from a range of sources. Range of methods, like observations, neurological scans, and memory tests. Can be seen as objective and valid.
   • CC: Research comes from lab experiments which lack ecological validity. It's not clear how the model deals with more meaningful/everyday experiences. Tasks lack mundane realism and don't reflect real life memory.

5. Dual Task = Performing 2 tasks at once.

6. Alternate to MSM - too simplistic in the emphasis on the role of rehearsal and challenging that STM is a single unitary store.