Memory - Multi-store model

Question 1

Context and description

Answer 1

• A representation of how memory works in terms of three stores: Sensory register, short term memory, and long term memory. Describes how information is transferred from one store to another, how its remembered and forgotten
• Richard Atkinson Richard Shiffrin (1968, 1971)

Question 2

Sensory Register

Answer 2

Stimulus from environment, for example sound, passes through sensory registers. This part of memory is several stores, one for each of the 5 senses. 2 main are iconic memory (visual) and echoic memory (sound)
Duration = less than half a second
High capacity

Question 3

Short-term memory (STM)

Answer 3

• Limited capacity store because it can only hold a certain number of things before forgetting takes place.
• STM can only hold between 5 - 9 items of info at a time, this is known from Millers magic number of 7+-2.
• Coded acoustically
• Duration of 30 seconds unless rehearsed

Question 4

Long-term memory (LTM)

Answer 4

• Potential permanent memory store for information that has been rehearsed for a prolonged period of time.
• Psychologists believe its capacity is unlimited.

Question 5

Coding

Answer 5

Format in which information is stored. Acoustically or Semantically.
Acoustically similar - words sounding similar (Bat, cat)
Semantically similar - words with similar (Big, large)

Question 6

Capacity

Answer 6

The amount of information that can be held in a memory store.

Question 7

Duration

Answer 7

The length of time information can be held in memory.