Lesson 3: Multi-Store Model Of Memory

Question 1

What is the multi-store model of memory? Who is it developed by?

Answer 1

Developed by Atkinson and Shiffrin. It attempts to explain how info flows from one memory store to another. 3 permanent stores: SR, STM & LTM. Each memory store differs in terms of coding, duration and capacity, and how info is lost from them.

Question 2

Sensory register

Answer 2

Environmental stimuli is received through senses into SR (short duration store -250 milliseconds) this retains unprocessed impressions of info received. It has separate sensory stores for each sensory input. A small fraction of the info received is attended to and selected for further processing in STM. Otherwise, it is lost due to decay.

Question 3

Short-Term Memory

Answer 3

If info is attended to, it is coded acoustically into STM, so similar sounding material can get confused. This is a temporary store before it is transferred to LTM. Info may be recalled then forgotten before being transferred. Limiting capacity= 7(+/-2) pieces of info so info can be displaced. Short duration of 18-30 seconds without rehearsal, prone to decay. Can be kept within STM via maintenance rehearsal (repeating verbally), and transferred to LTM through elaborating rehearsal (organising in a meaningful way) for more permanent storage.

Question 4

LTM

Answer 4

Info is semantically coded into the LTM. This holds vast amounts of info for long periods of time. The capacity is potentially infinite, no way of accurately measuring it. Duration= lifetime. When info in LTM is needed it is retrieved by STM then recalled. Retrieval failure from LTM, retrieval cues are needed to access it.