Memory - The Working Memory Model

Memory - The Working Memory Model

1. Developed by Baddeley & Hitch this model replaces the unitary store for STM

2. The Central Executive

   • Controls other 'slave' components and decided which is required for tasks
   • Handles multiple tasks and allocates resources
   • Little-no storage capacity and each sense is coded differently

3. The Episodic Buffer

   • Codes information across slave components and brings together different pieces
   • Allows communication between STM and LTM

4. The Visuo-spatial Sketchpad

   • Codes and rehearses through visual, mental pictures with a capacity of 3-4 objects
   • Visual cache
     • Stores information about form and colour
   • Inner scribe
     • Handles spatial information

5. The Phonological Loop

   • Codes acoustic information
   • Primary acoustic store
     • Perception
     • Short term store that holds audio for 1-2 seconds and remember order
   • Articulatory process
     • Used to prepare sounds using rehearsal

6. Evaluation

   • Dual task studies show that participants are easily able to complete two tasks simultaneously if they are different, however if they are similar participants struggle
   • PET scans proved that different areas of the brain are active in different types of activity
   • The central executive isn't explained enough, case study of person with brain injury is good at reasoning but bad at decision, different parts of CE
   • Fails to account for musical memory - we are able to listen to music without impairing other auditory tasks

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