1. Working Memory Model Baddeley and Hitch (1974)
Developed after the MSM, the working memory model suggests that memory is an active process.
It comprises three main parts (we are ignoring the episodic buffer, added later).

2. The Working Memory Model
Responsible for giving attention to information from the other two stores
making decisions about which information is the most important
Rehearsal occurs between the central executive and the other stores.
The visuo-spatial scratchpad is known as the “inner eye” and is specialised for spatial and visual coding.
The phonological loop is known as the “inner voice” and holds information in a speech based form; it has a limited capacity.
The Episodic buffer was added in 2000 as a 3rd slave system to explain how it is possible to temporarily store information combined together from CE,PL,VSS

3. What’s what? Match the bullet points to the relevant part of the WMM
Decides where to focus cognitive effort
Is the ‘inner eye’
Is the ‘inner ear’
Is the ‘inner voice’
Concerned with verbal information
Concerned with visual information
Is concerned with shapes, colours, position
Is encoded acoustically
Has a limited capacity
Also has a limited capacity of 3-4 items
Keeps information in the phonological store
Also has limited capacity
Corsi test can be used to measure the capacity

4. Strengths of the WMM
Much more detailed information about the processes involved inshort term memory making it superior to the multi-store model in this respect (less reductionist)
Brain scans (PET scans) have shown that a different area of the brain is active when carrying out verbal tasks than when carrying out visual tasks. This supports the idea that there are different parts of memory for visual and verbal tasks.
Highlights that memory is an active process rather than being passive.
It has a practical application to the real world-dyslexia can affect either the phonological loop or the visuo-spatial scratchpad and therefore strategies can be put into place to help with reading and writing.
Lots of research evidence to support (Baddeley (1986))
The case study of K.F – after brain damage from a motorbike accident his memory for verbal information was impaired, but his memory of visual information was unaffected.

5. Weaknesses of the WMM
It only looks at short term memory- there is no explanation about how information is transferred between short and long term memory.
It has highlighted the role of sensory memory but ignored most of the senses- e.g- touch, smell, taste
Very little is known about the decision making activities of the central executive.