Working Memory Model
- Created by: ViviHelp
- Created on: 03-03-21 04:55
View mindmap
- Working Memory Model
- The STM is a store which is an active processor, storing several pieces of info at once.
- It has 4 components
- Central Executive
- Determines what info us or isn't attended to
- Controls the secondary parts
- Has a limited capacity
- Phonological Loop
- Processes auditory info and order of info
- Has a limited capacity
- Phonological store - auditory info Articulatory process - repetition of words
- Visuospatial Sketch Pad
- Store - visual and spatial info = rehearsed through mental pics
- Visual cache - visual material Inner scribe - spatial awareness
- Episodic Buffer
- Temporarily stores info combined together from other components
- Larger capacity than other stores
- Capacity of about 4 chunks
- Central Executive
- Research
- :) Baddeley and Hitch - dual task technique to support the WMM
- Aim: to investigate if participants can use different parts of the WM at the same time
- Method: p's asked to perform 2 tasks at the same time - digit span task and verbal true or false answers
- Results: As digits increased -> p's took longer to answer t or d
- Conc: Verbal task -> central executive, digit span -> phonological loop. As p's were able to perform both tasks at same time :. supports there are separate parts of WMM
- :) Baddeley and Hitch - dual task technique to support the WMM
- Evaluation
- :) Baddeley discovered p's found it hard to generate lists of random numbers while switching between pressing numbers our letters on keyboard => 2 tasks were competing for attention of the CE at the same time:. supports existence of CE
- :) Trojani and Grossi looked at a case study of SC who had brain damage. He struggled on verbal task(PL), but easily completed visual tasks(VSS):. suggest that the WMM has separate stores for processing verbal and visual info=> supports the existence of VSS and PL
- :) Gathercole and Baddeley found that p's struggled to track a moving light and describe angles on a hollow 'F' at the same time -> that because the 2 tasks involved visual info the VSS struggled to cope (due to limited capacity):. suggests that the VSS exists and has a small capacity
- :) Alkhalifa reported on a patient with impaired LTM who showed an STM capacity up to 25 items (exceeding capacity space in VSS and PL) => that there must be an additional store (EB) with increased storage space
- :( Some critics argue that this component doesn't explain anything about how memory works. Some argue it is the equivalent of paying attention:. the WMM has not actually been fully explained
- :) The model is a more advanced account of STM, which explains both active processing and storage of info:. it is relevant to many real-life processes involving memory; it can explain things such as mental arithmetic, verbal reasoning, understanding and traditional short-term memory tasks
- :) The model is seen as better explanation than the MSM, as it focuses less on the structure of memory, and more on the process involved. Unlike the MSM, it explains how STM processes and works
- :) Alloway suggested that the WMM can be used to give practical advice and guidance for children with ADHD. Such children do show impairments with their WM. In order to maximise their learning, Alloway suggested that several methods can be used for children with ADHD to ensure they can focus on the task on hand.
- :( Results from lab studies will have low ecological validity as tasks such as digit span are not representative of everyday life
- :( The CE has been criticised for being very vague and not fully developed. There is little direct evidence as to what the CE is, or its exact role in attention
Comments
No comments have yet been made