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In cognitive psychology, working memory is the collection of structures and processes in the brain used for temporarily storing and manipulating information (although the manipulation of working memory contents is increasingly being seen as attributable to executive function).

Baddeley and Hitch (1974) introduced and made popular this multicomponent model of working memory in the temporary maintenance and manipulation of information. They emphasized the functional importance of such a system rather than earlier use of this term as a unitary short-term store, as used in Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968).

Working memory consists of both memory for items that are currently being processed, and components governing attention and directing the processing itself. It should not be confused with short-term memory, which under this description can be considered a subset of working memory. Working memory may or may not be included under the rubric of executive function.

The three main structures of the Working Memory Model are the Central Executive, the primary managing processor for the other two structures, it alone distributes the tasks into the appropriate areas and assigns priority and mental capacity to whichever task is seen more important than the other.

Visuospatial Sketch Pad : Holds images and visual data and from that manipulates and processes the stimuli in order to produce the desired outcome, for examples judging distance while driving uses this function.

Articulate Phonological Loop : The last structure which deals with the manipulation and retention of auditory data, such as a particular sounds or words, a practical use for this is rehearsing a phone number while trying to find a piece of paper to write it on so you don't forget.

Baddeley's current version of the model incorporates a fourth component, termed the episodic buffer, assumed to play a role in integrating information from subsidiary systems and from long-term memory (Baddeley 2000). The component is episodic because it is assumed to bind information into a unitary episodic representation. The episodic buffer resembles Tulving's concept of episodic memory, but it differs in that the episodic buffer is a temporary store.

Testing: A Dual-Task Paradigm is perhaps the only ideal method of testing the Working Memory, where you have a visual or audio primary task, and then a visual or audio distraction task, and the ability to manage the four combinations of task will measure the subjects Working Memory Ability.

Recent studies suggest that working memory can be improved by working memory training. After this training, measured brain activity related to working memory increased in the areas traditionally associated with working memory capacity.

Perhaps of greater importance, another study has found that after a period of working memory training an increase in a range of cognitive abilities and an increase in IQ test scores of approximately 8 percent. Consequently, this study implies that working memory underlies general intelligence and that improving the brain's working memory ability may be a method for increasing a person's IQ.

References

• Atkinson, R.c., & Shiffrin, R.M. (1968). Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes, In K.W. Spence (Ed.), ‘’The psychology of learning and motivation: Advances in research and theory (pp. 89-195), New York: Academic Press.

• Baddeley, A.D., Hitch, G.J. (1974). Working Memory, In G.A. Bower (Ed.), Recent advances in learning and motivation (Vol. 8, pp. 47-90), New York: Academic Press.

• Baddeley, A.D. (2000). The episodic buffer: a new component of working memory? Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 4, 417-423.

• Cognition
• Memory