Working Memory Model Baddeley & Hitch - 1974

Working Memory Model Baddeley & Hitch - 1974

1. They believed that the STM store in the MSM was too simplistic...

   • ...They believed that STM was not a passive store, but alternatively a several active process that manipulates information

2. HOW IT WORKS

   • CENTRAL EXECUTIVE
     • The central executive is considered the most important part of working memory, because it focuses attention and coordinates the actions of all the other components.
       • Coordinates the "slave systems"
         • Evidence: Baddeley, functions linked to CE e.g. selective attention. Tasks such as, generating random strings of digits...
     • It can briefly store information, but has a limited capacity. The central executive is modality free, which means that it can store information in any sense manner.
   • VISUO-SPATIAL SKETCHPAD
     • Stores and manipulates visual information
       • Visual coding
     • Input is from the eyes or LTM
     • Evidence: Baddeley, lab exp, track moving light with a pointer
   • PHONOLGOICAL LOOP
     • Articulatory control system
     • Phonological Store
   • EPISODIC BUFFER
     • Added in 2000 by Baddeley
     • It binds together all of the information from each component of WMM with information about time and (chronological order)...
   • It focuses on processes, rather than structures- its about what the STM does, rather than what it holds.

3. Model of short term memory... It is much more complex and active than the Multi Storage Model

   • According to the WMM, STM has a number of components - each of which has a limited capacity.
   • Where new information is held temporarily and combined with knowledge from LTM.

4. EVALUATING WMM

   • STRENGTHS
     • High face validity
       • Improvement over MSM
     • Unlike other models (MSM), WMM explains storage...
       • ...Not only this but it also explains the processing of information.
     • It is consistent with records of brain damaged patients...
       • KF
         • Struggled recalling auditory information from STM but not visual - Supports phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketchpad.
       • Clive Wearing
         • "Worst case of amnesia ever known...
           • <30 seconds memory
           • Only recognises his wife, Debra
         • He believes he's just come round from a lengthy period of unconsciousness- since he's unaware of anything thats just happened
     • Many investigations have been done which provide evidence... and these were highly controlled and standardised
       • Results have been replicated
         • Baddeley
           • Only a task involving different components should be possible + successfully executed.
             • Dual task studies...Therefore consists of different components
     • Biological Evidence
       • PET SCANS- (brain scanning technique) - enables researchers to study brain activity
         • Has revealed that different parts of the brain are active depending on whether the task uses STM or LTM
   • WEAKNESSES
     • Research...
       • There are problems with the methods used in supporting evidence which limits the validity of the theory.
         • e.g. the supporting evidence from Baddeley used highly controlled lab experiments -using artificial tasks and so can be said to have low ecological validity.
     • Over simplified model...
       • Reductionist - especially the central executive
         • Not as much detail about LTM
         • How does LTM combine with STM...?
         • Not a comprehensive model of memory
     • There's not much clarity about the central executive, which is the WMM "most important" component....
       • For example, the capacity has not been measured & how does it allocate attention..?

5. Instead of all the information going in one unitary store, there are different systems for different types of information.

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