Key Features of the MSM & Types of Memory Flashcards
when was the model invented?
1968
what is the sensory register?
the first store that hold the sensory information received through all the senses for a brief period of time.
what is capacity?
the measure of how much can be held in memory.
what is the multi-store model of memory?
model that suggests memory is a linear process where memory has three different stores
who invented the msm model?
atkinson and shiffrin
what is the STM?
the memory of immediate events. these memories tend not to last and decay unless they are rehearsed.
what is long-term memory?
the memory for past events that can last for the life-time of a person.
what is encoding?
as information enters the brain via the senses, it is transformed into a code so that it can be stored. the codes can be visual, acoustic and semantic.
what is duration?
the measure of how long memory lasts before it is no longer available.
what is the duration of the sensory register?
250 milliseconds
1/4 of a second
what is the capacity of the sensory register?
very large
how is the STM coded?
acoustically - i.e. in the form of sounds or spoken words
what is the duration of the STM?
15-30 seconds
what is the capacity of the STM?
7 +/- 2 chunks of information
how is the LTM coded?
semantically and temporally
what is the duration of the LTM?
up to a lifetime
what is the capacity of the LTM?
potentially unlimited. (info can be lost due to interference or decay but this does not have anything to do with the capacity of the store).
outline the multi-store model of memory
- The sensory store is constantly receiving information from the environment. Most of this information receives no attention and so is lost
- However, if the information that enters the sensory stores is attended to, then this information is encoded and passes through to the short term memory (STM).
- Once in the STM, information (if not rehearsed), can be lost through either displacement (this is because the STM has a capacity of 7+/- 2 items) or decay (as the STM only has a duration of 0-18 seconds).
- If information is elaborately rehearsed then the information will be transferred/encoded into the long term memory (LTM).
- The LTM can hold information for an unlimited amount of time and has an unlimited capacity.
- When stored information is needed, it can be retrieved from the LTM back to the STM.
what is storage?
process of retaining memory until required
what is retrieval?
process of locating stored information and extracting it from memory
what is chunking?
the process of combining separate pieces of information into larger ones, which can be rehearsed as units, to increase STM capacity
what is decay?
loss of memory due to the passage of time, during which the memory trace is not used
what is a trigram?
group of 3 consonants to remember
what is digit span?
how many digits can be retained and recalled