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Working Memory Is A Cognitive System That Maintains And Manipulates Task Relevant Information

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Working memory is a cognitive system that maintains and manipulates task-relevant information for a short period of time. (Cowan, J. 1999) Memory plays a crucial role in everyday life. It enables one to effectively perform complex tasks such as the ability to reason and solve new problems independently on a daily basis. Working memory is limited in capacity and sensitive to interruptions. “Without memory, our awareness would be confined to an external present and our lives would be virtually devoid of meaning.” (Schacter,D..L and Scarry,E 2001) Impairments in working memory are often apparent in individuals with ADHD, acquired brain injury, depression and several other conditions. It is important that researchers grasp an in-depth understanding of what working memory is and how it works in order to develop interventions and ways to improve working memory. Recent research has revealed that working memory can be enhanced through Cogmed Working Memory Training. (Söderqvist,S. and Nutley, S. 2015) This essay will focus predominantly on Baddeley’s working memory model. It will outline the constituents of the model, drawing upon evidence for and against the model. Atkinsons and Shiffrin’s multistore model of memory will be briefly mentioned. However, it is apparent that this model lacked detail and is outdated.
Atkinson and Shriffin (1968) established a model known as the multi-store model. The model depicts that memory can be interpreted as a sequence of steps, whereby

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