Working Memory

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Working Memory

• And Case Studies

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Working Memory Model
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Components of working memory
Central Executive Directs attention to
particular tasks. It controls the other systems
by determining how resources will be allocated.
(Think a control tower at an airport.) Phonologic
al loop Controls auditory information. Further
subdivided into the phonological store (inner
ear) and articulatory process (inner voice).
Visuo-spatial pad Processes visual and spatial
information (how things look and where they
are). Episodic buffer general store. Added
later to the model to account for things that use
both visual and acoustic information.
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Case Studies
What is a case study?
A case study is a detailed study of one
individual or event. Many different
psychological techniques can be used (e.g.,
questionnaires, interviews, personality tests).
The findings attempt to represent the
individuals thoughts, emotions, experiences and
abilities.
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The Case of Phineas Gage
In the year 1848, a terrible accident occurred.
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Doctors report The tamping iron entered the
cranium, passing through the anterior left lobe
of the cerebrum, and made its exit in the medial
line, lacerating the longitudinal sinus,
fracturing the parietal and frontal bones
extensively, breaking up considerable portions of
the brain, and protruding the globe of the left
eye from its socket, by nearly half its diameter.
Phineas Gage lived for 12 years after the
accident. He was able to speak normally, however,
his personality changed massively after the
accident. Whereas before he was well-liked,
responsible, and hard-working, he now became
restless, indecisive and swore a lot.
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What does Phineas Gages case tell us about the
brain?

• Showed that parts of the brain could be removed
  without having a fatal effect.
• Different areas of the brain are in control of
  different fuctions.
• Damage to the front of the brain leads to
  personality changes.

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The Case of KF
In the 1970s, KF was in a motorcycle accident,
resulting in brain damage to his left occipiatal
lobe (pictured right). STM was damaged (digit
span of 1), but LTM was normal He remembers
words better if presented visually as opposed to
auditorally.
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KFs memory
What does KFs case study tell psychologists
about memory? Which model does it support?
Although his LTM is intact, his STM is not, which
supports the Multi-Store Memory model.
However, he remembers words better if presented
visually rather than auditorally, which supports
the Working Memory Model.
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The Case of HM

• HMs brain compared to normal brain

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HMs lobotomy
In the 1940s, HM had a lobotomy performed on him
to correct epileptic seizures. After the
surgery, HM was no longer able to form new
long-term memories. For many years, he believed
that he was 27 years old, and the year was
1953. HM had kept his procedural memory (memory
for skills) but not his episodic memory (memory
of events). His body knew the way to his doctors
office, even though he didnt!!
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What does HMs case tell psychologists about
memory?
There are different long-term memory stores
(procedural and episodic). HMs case also
supports Peterson and Petersons study. His short
term memory is about 20 seconds long.
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Clive Wearing
Clive Wearing, a man like HM, who has no
long-term memory. He, too, can form procedural
memories but not episodic memories.
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Case Studies

• Please answer the following questions
• In what way have the case studies we just looked
  at enhanced your understanding of memory?
• Why do you think there are so many case studies
  related to memory?
• Describe what research methods were likely to be
  used in the case studies we just looked at?
• Suggest two advantages of using case studies
  rather than experiments.
• Suggest two weaknesses.
• A hospital is interested why some patients with
  head injuries recover faster than others. Why
  would you recommend using case studies, and how
  would you do it?

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Evidence to support the WM model

• Do it yourself What evidence is there to support
  the Working Memory model?
• Please present one study to support the existence
  of
• The Central executive 3. Visuo-spatial
  sketch pad
• Phonological loop 4. Episodic buffer

Please give the names of the experimenters, the
procedure, the results and the conclusions of
your study.