Memory: Multi-Store Model (inc. coding, capacity, duration) Flashcards
What is the multi-store model?
a theoretical model that shows how information flows through the memory system
What is a theoretical model?
a model where you cannot see or directly measure
What is the multi-store model made of?
3 stores linked by processing
- sensory register
- short term memory
- long term memory
What is distinct about the multi-store model?
it is the first model to show STM and LTM as different stores
What is coding in the context of memory?
the format in which information is stored
(how information enters a memory store)
What is capacity in the context of memory?
how much information the memory store can contain
What is duration in the context of memory?
how long information can be stored for in the memory store
What does the sensory register do?
temporarily stores all the information the senses take in at one point in time (the senses are constantly receiving information)
What are the two main stores of the sensory register and what do they do?
- iconic memory stores visual information and codes visually
- echoic memory stores audible information and codes audibly
What is the coding of the sensory register?
modality free (can process info from any of the 5 senses)
What is the capacity of the sensory register?
very large
What is the duration of the sensory register?
less than a second
Why is very little information in the sensory register passed into the rest of the memory system?
most of the information is not important and so not worth paying attention to
How is information passed from the sensory register to STM?
if the person pays attention
What is STM?
the temporary memory store that holds information used for immediate tasks such as copying a phone number
What is the coding of STM?
acoustic (listening to what things sound like)
What is the capacity of STM and what does this mean?
- 5-9 items
- this means its an active memory system as it is constantly changing
What is the duration of STM?
up to approximately 18 seconds
What is maintenance rehearsal?
constant repetition to keep information in STM
How is information passed from STM to LTM?
prolonged repetition (by rehearsing/repeating information over and over again)
What is LTM?
the permanent memory store for all the information you know
What is the coding of LTM?
semantic (understanding the meaning of something)
What is the capacity of LTM?
unlimited
What is the duration of LTM?
unlimited
How is information recalled from LTM and what is this process called?
information is transferred back to STM and this is called retrieval
According to the MSM, are any of our memories recalled directly from LTM?
no
What did Miller suggest about memory capacity?
- the capacity of STM = ±7 (Miller’s magic number)
- chunking helps increase STM’s capacity
What is chunking?
- grouping letters and numbers together into larger units to make them easier to remember
- this increases the capacity of STM as each unit can be one of the 5-9 items
Key research on coding:
Baddeley (1966)
Key research on capacity:
Jacobs (1887)
Key research on duration of STM:
Peterson and Peterson (1959)
Key research on duration of LTM:
Bahrick et al (1975)
What are we evaluating?
whether or not information flows through the memory system in the way the MSMoM says it does
Support for MSMoM: Research Support - Baddeley
- research support from Baddeley:
- we code differently in STM (acoustic) and LTM (semantic), thus suggesting they are two separate stores, supporting the model
- count: low ecological validity, don’t know for sure if STM and LTM code differently in real life
Support for MSMoM: brain scans
- scientific evidence (brain scans)
- the prefrontal cortex is active when a task involves using STM and the hippocampus is active when a task involves using LTM
- brain activity occurs in different parts of the brain when using STM and LTM so suggests the stores are different, supporting the model
- ext: brain scans are objective, valid, and reliable, which is particularly important because we cannot see or directly measure memory
Weakness of MSMoM: role of rehearsal
- in the model, info is transferred from STM to LTM through rehearsal
- however in real life, we do not always need to rehearse information that transfers to LTM (we just remember)
- sometimes we cannot rehearse information and yet we can still remember them e.g. smells
- this challenges the importance of rehearsal in memory and therefore challenges the MSMoM
Weakness of MSMoM: issues with the model
- we can’t see or directly measure cognitive processes like memory, making it difficult to find objective evidence, decreasing validity (we do not know if the model is right)
- the model is too simplified and doesn’t account for the different LTM stores (procedual, semantic, episodic) or the different STM stores (central executive, phonological loop, visuo-spatial sketchpad, episodic buffer)
Weakness of MSMom: lab experiments
- most research support on the MSMoM are lab experiments
- e.g. Baddeley
- this means the ecological validity is low, as the setting and tasks are artificial
- therefore we do not know for sure if information flows through the different stores in the same way as the studies concluded in real life
