Outline and evaluate the working memory model

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Outline and evaluate the working memory model.

The working memory model (WMM), proposed by Baddeley and Hitch, is a functional model which focuses on the components of short- term memory. The main component is the central executive (CE), which directs attention to information and determine how information will be allocated. There are 3 slave systems under the CE which are specialised to carry out a particular task and manipulate and analyse information. The slave systems are the phonological loop which deals with auditory information. It is further sub- divided into the phonological store, which deals with auditory information, while the articulatory process (inner voice) rehearses the information from the phonological store. Then there is the visuo- spatial sketchpad stores and manipulate visual and spatial information. Lastly the episodic buffer is an extra storage that has in common with all the working memory units, limited capacity. It integrates information from the CE and all the other slave systems.
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One of the strengths of the working memory model is that there is evidence for the existence of the key components of this model of memory. For example, Baddeley et al. demonstrated the existence of the visuo-spatial sketchpad. In the study the participants had to track a moving light with a pointer whilst visualising the letter F (task 1) or doing a verbal task (Task 2). Participants found task 1 harder than task 2. Tracking and letter imagery tasks were competing for the limited resources of the visuo-spatial scratch pad.

Another strength of the working memory ...

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