The Working Memory Model (College Board AP® Psychology): Study Guide

The working memory model

• The working memory model, proposed by Baddeley & Hitch (1974), offers a more detailed account of short-term memory than the multi-store model

• The model proposes that working memory (our primary memory system) is an active, dynamic system made up of several interacting components

  • This contrasts with the MSM of memory which views STM as a single, passive store

• Working memory holds and manipulates information that is currently being used

  • It is the memory system engaged whenever you are thinking, reasoning, reading, or solving a problem

• The model proposes three core components:

  • The central executive

  • The phonological loop

  • The visuospatial sketchpad

The central executive

• The central executive is the control center of working memory

  • It monitors, directs, and coordinates the other components

  • It determines which information should be attended to and decides how the other components should be used

  • It has limited capacity, as it cannot process an unlimited amount of information simultaneously

    • E.g. when you are driving and having a conversation at the same time, the central executive is allocating attention between the two tasks. This is why a difficult driving situation forces you to stop talking

The phonological loop

• The phonological loop (sometimes called the auditory loop) handles verbal and auditory information

  • It is the component responsible for processing and temporarily storing sounds and language

  • It operates like an inner voice, as it replays sounds and words in a continuous loop to prevent them from fading

    • E.g. when you repeat a phone number to yourself to remember it, you are using the phonological loop

• The phonological loop is closely associated with language learning and reading

  • This can explain why children with phonological loop difficulties often struggle with reading acquisition

The visuospatial sketchpad

• The visuospatial sketchpad handles visual and spatial information

  • It is the component responsible for creating and manipulating mental images

  • It operates like an inner eye, as it holds and processes visual scenes, shapes, and spatial relationships

    • E.g. when you imagine the layout of your bedroom or mentally rotate an object to see what it looks like from another angle, you are using the visuospatial sketchpad

How the components work together

• The three components operate simultaneously but independently, as each handles a different type of information

• The central executive coordinates the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad, directing attention and resources between them as needed

  • E.g. when solving a geometry problem, the visuospatial sketchpad holds the mental image of the shape while the phonological loop processes the written instructions. The central executive directs both

• Because the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad handle different types of information, performing two tasks that use different components causes less interference than performing two tasks that use the same component

  • E.g. listening to music with lyrics while reading is more disruptive than listening to instrumental music while reading

Working memory and the multi-store model compared