Question

Why is working memory important? Relate this to specific aspects of cognitive development.

Answer 1

Working memory is thought of as an active system that processes the information present within short-term memory. Working memory is thought to consist of three interrelated systems: a central executive that controls and coordinates the other two systems, the visuospatial “sketchpad” of sorts that was mentioned earlier, and a kind of auditory action “recorder” or phonological loop. The central executive acts as interpreter for both the visual and auditory information, and the visual and auditory information are themselves contained in short-term memory. For example, when a person is reading a book, the sketchpad will contain images of the people and events of the particular passage being read, while the recorder “plays” the dialogue in the person’s head. The central executive helps interpret the information from both systems and pulls it all together. In a sense, then, short-term memory can be seen as being a part of the working memory system.