AQA PSYCHOLOGY - THE WORKING
MEMORY MODEL (WMM) EXAM
QUESTIONS & VERIFIED ANSWERS
Why was the working memory model created? - Correct Answer ✔✔ To explain short-
term memory only. How it's organised and the functions of the different components.
How much capacity does each component have? - Correct Answer ✔✔ Each
component has limited capacity.
How does the working memory model explain multi-tasking? - Correct Answer ✔✔ We
are able to multi-task as long as we are using different components e.g. the
phonological store and the inner scribe.
What is the role of the central executive? - Correct Answer ✔✔ It decides which system
is required and acts like attention. It draws on either the phonological loop or the visuo-
spatial sketchpad as 'slave systems'.
What is the phonological loop? - Correct Answer ✔✔ The PL deals with auditory
information and preserves the order in which the information arrives. It is subdivided into
the phonological store and the articulatory process.
What is the role of the phonological store? - Correct Answer ✔✔ It stores the words you
hear.
What are the roles of the visual cache and inner scribe? - Correct Answer ✔✔ Visual
cache - stores visual data.
Inner scribe - records the arrangement of objects in the visual field.
What is the visuo-spatial sketchpad? - Correct Answer ✔✔ It stores visual and/or spatial
information when required. Logie (1995) subdivided the VSS into: the visual cache and
the inner scribe.
What is the role of the articulatory process? - Correct Answer ✔✔ It allows maintenance
rehearsal (repeating sounds to keep them in WM while they are needed).
What is the episodic buffer? - Correct Answer ✔✔ It is a temporary store for information.
It integrates visual, spatial and verbal information from other stores. Also maintains
sense of time sequencing - recording events (epsiodes) that are occurring. Links to LTM
and wider cognitive processes e.g. perception.
MEMORY MODEL (WMM) EXAM
QUESTIONS & VERIFIED ANSWERS
Why was the working memory model created? - Correct Answer ✔✔ To explain short-
term memory only. How it's organised and the functions of the different components.
How much capacity does each component have? - Correct Answer ✔✔ Each
component has limited capacity.
How does the working memory model explain multi-tasking? - Correct Answer ✔✔ We
are able to multi-task as long as we are using different components e.g. the
phonological store and the inner scribe.
What is the role of the central executive? - Correct Answer ✔✔ It decides which system
is required and acts like attention. It draws on either the phonological loop or the visuo-
spatial sketchpad as 'slave systems'.
What is the phonological loop? - Correct Answer ✔✔ The PL deals with auditory
information and preserves the order in which the information arrives. It is subdivided into
the phonological store and the articulatory process.
What is the role of the phonological store? - Correct Answer ✔✔ It stores the words you
hear.
What are the roles of the visual cache and inner scribe? - Correct Answer ✔✔ Visual
cache - stores visual data.
Inner scribe - records the arrangement of objects in the visual field.
What is the visuo-spatial sketchpad? - Correct Answer ✔✔ It stores visual and/or spatial
information when required. Logie (1995) subdivided the VSS into: the visual cache and
the inner scribe.
What is the role of the articulatory process? - Correct Answer ✔✔ It allows maintenance
rehearsal (repeating sounds to keep them in WM while they are needed).
What is the episodic buffer? - Correct Answer ✔✔ It is a temporary store for information.
It integrates visual, spatial and verbal information from other stores. Also maintains
sense of time sequencing - recording events (epsiodes) that are occurring. Links to LTM
and wider cognitive processes e.g. perception.
