🧠 Temporary Storage System
Working memory is a mental system that makes it possible to temporarily hold up and manipulate information which is needed for complex activities like reasoning and comprehension.
⏱️ Limited Capacity & Duration
It has very strict limitations, usually retaining 7±2 items for 15-30 seconds without rehearsal, which makes efficient processing very important for cognitive performance.
🔧 Multi-Component Architecture
Baddeley's model represents the phonological loop (verbal), visuospatial sketchpad (visual), episodic buffer (integration), and central executive (control) as different components that are all working together.
🎯 Central Executive Control
The central executive is responsible for directing the focus of attention, co-ordinating the different subsystems, switching between tasks, and controlling the cognition processes, thus being the main factor in goal-directed behavior.
🔄 Active Processing Hub
Working memory is not like passive short-term memory; it is a system that actively manipulates information and does so through various mental operations such as calculation, transformation, and the integration of new data.
🧩 Critical for Learning
The working memory capacity is a strong predictor of academic achievement, problem-solving ability, language comprehension, and overall fluid intelligence across different educational contexts and age groups.
🧪 Neural Substrate
Working memory is mainly supported by the networks in the prefrontal cortex but involves also other brain areas like the parietal cortex and the distributed neural circuits that are responsible for maintaining information sharing.