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Memory, Weaknesses of the WMM, Strengths of the WMM, Weaknesses of the MSM…
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Weaknesses of the WMM
WMM has limited capacity and duration, which means that we can only hold and process a finite amount of information for a short period. This limitation can vary from person to person
The WMM has recieved criticism for its lack of specificity about how the components interaact and for its simplicity in explaining complex cognitive processes.
Some reserachers have proposed extensions to the model, such as the inclusion of additional subsystems and connectios with long-term memory.
Despite providing more detail for STM than the multi store model, the WMM has been criticised for being too simplistic and vague e.g. it is inclear what the central executive is, or it exact role in attention.
Reults from labatory experiements researching the WMM will often have low ecological validity as tasks such as repeating 'the the the' are arguably not representive of our everyday activities
Strengths of the WMM
WMM serves several important functions, including temporary storage of information, cognitive control, reasoning, desicion making, problem solving and comprehension
It is essential for tasks that require us to hold and manipulate information over short time intervals.
The WMM provides an explaination for parallel processing, unlike Atkinson and Shiffrin's MSM.
Case study reported that brain damage patient KF could recall verbal but not visual information immediatley after its presentation, which supports the WMM's claim that separate short-term stores manages short-term phonological and visual memories.
The model was developed based on evidence from labotory experiments, so confounding variables could be carefully controlled to produce reliable results (that can be replicated)
Weaknesses of the MSM
Oversimplification; critics argue that the model oversimplifies the complexity of memory. It portrays memory as a linear process, whereass contemporary reserach suggests that memory is far more intricate and interconnected.
Rehearsal as the only process; the model heavily relies on rehearsal as the primary process for transferring information from STM to LTM. However, reserach has shown that other encoding processes, such as elaborative rehearsal are also essential for effective memory transfer.
Dosent explain forgetting; the model dosent offer a comprehesive explaination for forgetting. It dosent account for how information is lost or the role of interference in mmory degradation.
Neglects individual differences; the mode assumes a standard capacity and duration for STM but there are substantial individual differences in these aspects. Some individuals have better working memory capacities than others.
Lack of biological detail; the model lacks biological and neurological details. It dosent explain how memory is stored in the brain, limiting its applicability in understanding the physical basis of memory.
Strengths of The MSM
Experimental support ; the model has recieved substantial emperical support from various studies. Experiments like the digit span test and the Brown-Peterson task have provided evidence for the existence of distinct memory stores.
Clear and simple; the model offers a clear and intuitive framework for understanding memory processes, making it accessilbe to both reserachers and the general public
Useful for clinical purposes; the model has been valuable in understanding and diagnosing memory disorders such as amnesia. It helps in distinguishing between deficits in sensory memory, STM and LTM.
The CE is considered the most important component of the WMM. It acts as the control center of working memory, responsible for coordinating all cognitive processes
The CE decides which information is attended to, sets priorities and allocates resources to the subsystems. The CE is a flexible and attentional control system that manages resources for different tasks.
The Phonological Loop is one of the two slave systems in the model and deals with auditory and verbal information. It consists of two subcomponents; The Phonological Store and the Articulartory Control Process.
The Phonological store briefly holds auditory information, while the Articulatory control process is responsible for the rehearsal and manipulation of verbal material.
The Visuospatial Sketchpad is the second slave system and is responsbile for handling visual and spatial information. It helps us mentally visualize and manipulate spatial relationships, such as when solving puzzles or navigating through space.
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The Episodic Buffer was introduced by Baddeley in 200 as a temporary storage system that integrates information from the other components. It allows for the binding information from various sources into a single, coherent episode.
It is considered a limited - capacity, temporary storage system that interfaces with long-term memory.
The Initial stage where information from the environment is briefly registered. It includes two subtypes; iconic memory (visual) and echoic memory (auditory). Information is held for a very short duration (fractions of a second)
The following stage after sensory memory, where information from sensory memory is transferred if it is attended to. Information in STM can be maintained through rehearsal
The final stage, characterized by the capacity to hold information for an indefinite period. Information is transferred from STM to LTM through rehearsal and encoding. Retrieval of information from LTM can be done consciously and intentionally.
Trace disspeares if not rehearsed. This would explain notes from Peterson and Peterson (1959). No rehearsal, no memory in STM after eighteen seconds.
However!! Difficult to prevent rehearsal without introducing information that will overwrite orignical information e.g. Peterson and Peterson experiemtn, counting digits in retention interval might have displaced the original nonsense trigrams.
Exisiting information is displaced (pushed out or overwritten) by newer information because short term memory has a limited capacity store.
Proactive interference; Previously learned information interferes with the new information you are trying to store. For example; you have difficulties learning the names of the students in your psychology class instead, you keep remembering the names of the students in your maths group last year.
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Retroactive interference; a new memory interferes with older ones. For example; you have difficulties remembering the names of the students in your maths group last year because you learnt the names of your psycholog class this year.
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