Alan David Baddeley

Alan David Baddeley FRS, CBE (born 1934) is a British psychologist. He is professor of psychology at the University of York. He is known for his work on working memory, in particular for his multiple components model. In 1974, he developed a model of working memory to provide a more accurate description of short-term memory. The model had a profound effect on our understanding of the short-term retention and manipulation of information. He separated various forms of short-term — or working — memory from each other, and demonstrated their differential effects on other simultaneous tasks. His exhaustive studies led to a deeper knowledge of environmental and neurological conditions, and he also co-developed many neuropsychological tests. Alan has received a number of prestigious awards and honours throughout his career. These include the inaugural Presidents’ Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychological Knowledge from the British Psychological Society in 1981 and the Aristotle Prize for contributions to European psychology in 2001. In 1999, he was awarded a CBE in recognition of his work on memory.