Working Memory

COGNITIVE MODEL

OTHER SKILLS

Phonological Loop

Visuo-spatial Sketch Pad

Temporary Store; limited capacity; hold & manipulate visuospatial

Central Executive

"Almost dead"; Concept of homunculus

Temporary Store; Limited capacity; temporal - space in loop is limited by articulation speed

Evidence

NEURAL MECHANISMS

Word length effect

Phonological Similarity effect (STM)

Irrelevant Sound effect

Ireelvant spoken material while doing WM task

Lesion Data

STM verbal deficits; seen in MCA stroke

Early Imaging: tested assumption that left is WM and visuospatial was right

Currently: not as specialised for WM as previously considered - more likely networked based approach

Need for central component in our understanding of it

TRAINING

PFC

Lesion Data; Non-Human Primate studies

Cells of PFC specifically fired in delay period of delayed response test

If neural activity doesn't persist in the delay period, memory performance is poor

This neural activity dissipates when no longer needed

Magnitude of persistant activity is associated with memory load

Selective

Cells are selective active for cues, delay period & responding

fMRI

Similar patterns of persistent PFC activity in delay period of retention task

Questions re: Persistent Activity