The Working Memory Model

The Working Memory Model

1. Parts of the Working Memory Model

   • Central Executive
     • Controls two 'slave systems' - Delegates tasks through different senses - Limited storage capacity - Modality free
   • Phonological Loop
     • Articulatory loop
       • Inner Voice - Linked to speech production- verbal rehearsal- There are articulatory repression tasks
     • Phonological Store
       • Inner Ear- deals with production of sound- been found that people can remember more small words than longer words
   • Visuo-spatial sketchpad
     • Deals with visual and spatial information - limited capacity (overloaded if two tasks require it)
   • Episodic Buffer
     • Added in 2000 by Baddley- Extra store for info that requires both visual and acoustic systems- limited capacity

2. Strengths of the Model

   • Evidence from Dual Task studies
     • Baddely and Hitch
       • All participants were given two statements (A then B)- Participant then shown a screen with statement B then followed by A or visa versa - Participants required to state whether the order was true or false quickly-
       • Participants were also asked to do one of the following tasks
         • A) Repeat THE THE THE over and over again occupying the phonological loop
         • B) Say random digits out loud occupying both the articulatory loop and the central executive
         • C) Not required to complete a second task
       • When one was combined with task A or C performance was not affected however with B it was as the speed dropped
   • Procedural rather than structural
   • Applied to real life easily (High Ecological Validity)
   • Evidence from Brain Damaged patients
     • KF - Long term memory had no damage but short term did. Short term auditory was more than the visual

3. Weaknesses of the Model

   • Over empahisis on the importance of rehearsing information
   • Seeing the STM and LTM as unitary stores
   • Focuses more on processing more than rehearsal
   • Ignores the depth of processing and encoding