2.4 Working Memory Model

2.4 Working Memory Model

1. Working memory model was suggested by Baddeley and Hitch (1974) to replace the idea of a unitary STM store. Suggests a system involving active processing and storage.

2. Central Executive

   • Has a supervisory role, acting as a filter. It determines which information is attended to. Allocates tasks for the other systems.
   • Has a limited capacity and only deals with one piece of information at a time.

3. Phonological Loop

   • Deals with auditory information and preserves the order in which information arrives.
   • Subdivided into two stores
     • Phonological store
       • Stores the words you hear
     • Articulatory Process
       • Allows for maintenance rehearsal

4. Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad

   • Temporary memory system responsible for holding visual and spatial information
   • Visual cache
     • Stores visual data about form and colour
   • Inner scribe
     • Records the arrangement of objects in the visual field.

5. Episodic Buffer

   • Acts as a backup store for information, integrating the visual, spatial and verbal information and maintaining time sequencing.
   • Links the working memory to long term memory and wide cognitive processes.

6. Evaluation

   • Strengths:
     • Dual task performance. Studies prove the separate existence of the visuo spatial sketchpad. While carrying out a visual and verbal task at the same time their performance was similar to if they carried it out separately
     • Clinical evidence from KF study. KF suffered brain damage from a motorcycle accident which damaged his STM. His impairment was mainly for verbal information while his visual store was largely unaffected.
   • Weaknesses:
     • Little known of the nature of the Central Executive. Needs to be more clearly specified than just being 'attention'. It is an unsatisfactory component which challenges the integrity of WMM.