Outline and evaluate the working memory model. (12 Marks)

The working memory model was found by Baddeley and Hitch because they thought that the Multi-Store Model by Atkinson and Shiffron is too simple. This model is a more complex for the short term memory store and therefore consists of three stores, which are known as the central executive, phonological loop and visuo-spatial sketch pad.

The central executive is the main component of the working memory model it controls and directs attention to the other components by transferring the acoustic and iconic information to the phonological loop and the visuo-spatial sketchpad; this is due to the limited capacity of the store. The phonological loop deals with acoustic information, which also has a limited capacity like the central executive. It consists of two sub-components known as the articulatory process and the phonological store. The articulatory process deals with words that are heard or seen; the words are silently repeated, like maintenance rehearsal. While, the phonological store holds words you hear. The visuo-spatial sketchpad stores and manipulates visual information and is a temporary store. This component helps us imagine a route from one place to another. However, this component also has a limited capacity of two seconds. A study conducted by Logie in 1995 suggested that the visuo-spatial sketchpad can also be divided into two other sub-components like the phonological loop, these sub-components are known as the visual cache store and the inner scribe.

The working memory model is influential because many researchers agree that the short term memory store is made up of a number of sub-components, which replaces the idea that the short term memory store is unitary as suggested by the multi-store model. This is because it helps us understand the processing of information in memory. The working memory model’s components can be easily tested for example; the phonological loop can be tested by silent rehearsal of numbers or words, while the visuo-spatial sketchpad can be tested by using mental images in problem solving and lastly, the central executive by the manipulations of the phonological loop and the visuo-spatial sketchpad.

The working memory model explains more than the multi-store model because it applies to real life tasks, such as reading which is addressed by the phonological loop, problem solving by the central executive and navigation by the visuo-spatial sketchpad. This makes it have high ecological validity, because the model is related to real life tasks which are carried out every day; this also means that it can be generalised as the model resembles the real world.

The working memory model is also, more ideal than the multi-store model. This is because the working memory model gives us a clear understanding of the short term memory store and how it processes information. The working memory model uses maintenance rehearsal but as an optional process of keeping information, while the multi-store model believes maintenance rehearsal is the only way of keeping the information.

AO2: CRITICISM: - However, the working memory model does have disadvantages; evidence of how the central executive works and what it does is vague. This makes it unreliable because the central executive can be more complex than what is portrayed by the

Dakshi GanewattaMiss Swift

working memory model. This therefore suggests that more research into the central executive and working memory models is needed to make it more understandable. Some researchers believe that the idea of the central executive is wrong and that there may be a number of sub components of it. This is shown by Eslinger and Damasio, who studied EVR, who had a cerebral tumour removed. He performed well in reasoning tests which suggest that his central executive was intact however, tests which required decision making were performed poorly, and this means that his central executive was not completely intact. This gives evidence that the central executive is more complex because it does not explain anything.

Dakshi GanewattaMiss Swift