Unlock Baddeley’s model of working memory: 4 components to highlight it’s working

Introduction

Baddeley’s model of working memory explains how the short-term memory works in our brain. He and his partner Hitch researched together and conducted many experiments to understand how the brain works.

Working Memory – Short-term Memory

Baddeley gave short-term memory another name, which is ‘working memory’, because the most used and important memory is short-term memory. There’s a vital role of short-term memory in our daily life as whatever we do, we use short-term memory.

For example, short-term memory allows small information to stay in our brain for a short period of time. After we use that information, it automatically vanishes from our brain. While the important information transfers into long-term memory.

The short-term memory allows us to manipulate and organize the stored information with the help of cognitive processes.

Multi-Store model of Atkinson and shiffrin is an alternative model of working memory!

Components:

Baddeley and Hitch gave four components which help in the process of working memory:-

Phonological Loop:

In Phonological Loop, our brain collect the information in the form of sounds, words, speech etc. Whatever we see or listen, that stays in our brain for a few seconds or minutes (for temporary time). It can be either a written sentence or number or a spoken word.

But it is important to know, whatever we listen to or see, we do not remember everything. Things that our important for us our brain only give importance to them.

For example – we will not remember the shouting noise of the argument in the class but we will remember what they said about us in between the argument.

Phonological Loop contains two types of process –

1. Phonological process-

In this process, we store information which we get by listening for a short time.

2. Articulatory rehearsal process:

In this process, we repeat what our phonological Loop Stored in the brain to remember it. Basically, we rehearse the information in our brain.

Visuo-spatial Sketchpad:

Visuo-spatial Sketchpad includes manipulating the sound , spatial and visual information. Visuo-spatial Sketchpad also works with Phonological Loop to process the auditory and visual memory. It allows us to recall the information which we store in WM.

Information in STM vanishes easily because of new information or delayed recall. But working memory allows the information to retain for a longer time where visuo-spatial sketchpad helps it. [1]

It has two sub-components-

1. Visual cache:-

visual cache store the visual information for a short period of time or temporary time

2. Inner Scribe:-

here, we recall, rehearse and manipulate the visual information which is in visual cache.

Episodic Buffer:

Episodic Buffer has a limited capacity which can store only a limited number of information for a limited time (temporarily). It is linked with long-term memory which connects the WM to long-term memory.

It integrates visual, verbal, spatial and episodes or events in our past days to store them effectively. It also works as a backup storage. It temporarily holds the information before sending it to long-term memory. It also helps to retrieve the information from long-term memory.

Central Executive:

Central Executive controls our attention, decision-making, problem-solving, planning, and thinking. It coordinates with other components, such as Phonological Loop, Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad, and Episodic Buffer. It sends and regulates information between all components. It has a limited capacity to store information, like other components. It helps us to switch between the memory and task.

However, it has multitasking ability, as it regulates information from one component to another. It is influenced by our attention, interest, motivation, and cognitive ability.

Differences between Short-term Memory and Working Memory:

Many psychologists believe that working memory is same short-term memory. But baddeley gave another name  ‘ working memory ‘ to  explain the difference between both, which we can understand as follows:-

1. Short-term memory only holds information temporarily. WM does one more thing – active manipulation of information.

2. Short-term memory can hold limited information. WM also has limited capacity, but it’s flexible.

3. Information stays in short-term memory for seconds or minutes. WM retention depends on task complexity.

4. Short-term memory is passive. WM is active.

5. Short-term memory stores mostly visual or verbal information. WM stores visual, verbal, spatial, episodic, and more.

6. Information in short-term memory vanishes easily. WM allows recall, rehearsal, and transfer to long-term memory.

7. Short-term memory involves remembering and recalling (e.g., phone numbers, lists). WM enables decision-making, problem-solving, reasoning, calculations, and more.

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