Memory: Multistore Model Of Memory Flashcards
Who created the multi store model of memory
Richard Atkinson and Richard shiffrin (1968)
What are the 3 stores in the MSM
Sensory register
Stm
LTM
How does information enter the multi store model
A stimulus from the environment, passes into the sensory register along with other information.
Does the sensory register have multiple stores
Yes
What are the different stores of the sensory register
Iconic memory - visual information coded visually
Echoic memory - auditory information coded acoustically
Why does material in the sensory register last only very briefly
Duration is less than half a second
The sensory register has —- capacity
High
What do you have to do to allow information to pass further along the memory system
Pay attention to it
Where does the memory pass into after the sensory register
The STM
Why is the stm called the limited capacity store
On average the capacity score for stm is 7+or - 2
Recall the coding and duration of the stm
Coded acoustically
Lasts about 30 seconds
What is maintenance rehearsal
Occurs when rehearse material to ourselves over and over again. We can keep the information in out stm as long as we rehearse it and if long enough it can pass into Longterm memory
What is the LTM a potentially permanent store for ?
Information that has been rehearsed for a prolonged time
Recall the capacity,coding and duration of the LTM ?
LTM coded semantically
Unlimited capacity
Duration - potentially lifetime
When we want to recall information in the LTM what has to happen
Info must be transferred back into stm by process called retrieval
What is a strength of the MSM (research evidence)
Supporting laboratory evidence
Controlled labs Studies on capacity , duration and coding support the existence of separate memory stores.
Eg
Baddeley we tend to mix up words that sound similar when using our stm but mix up words that have similar meaning when using LTM.
Stm coded acoustically but LTM coded semantically, so they are different
Supports the idea of separate short and long term memory stores which is basis of MSM.
Limitation of MSM (overly simplistic)
Criticised for being overly simplistic
Eg case of kF
Shows more than one memory store
Stm for digits was very poor when read out loud to him but his recall was much better when he read digits himself. This implies that there must be separate stm store for visual and another for auditory info
In addition different types of LTM 1 store for facts about the world another for skills and another for personal memory
Different memory stores shows LTM isn’t 1 thing
MSM provides simplistic model of memory and doesn’t take in account the different types of stm and LTM
What is another strength of the MSM ? (Case study)
Supported by clinical case studies
Case of HM
Removal of hippocampus led to his LTM being affected
Would read a magazine repeatedly without remembering it yet performed well on immediate memory ( a measure of stm).
This provides support for the MSM as HM was unable to transfer information from his stm to LTM but was able to retrieve info from before his surgery, supporting the different processes involved in the MSM
What is another limitation of the MSM (more than just maintenance rehearsal )
Long term memory involves more than just maintenance rehearsal.
For example Craik and Watkins (1973) found that the rehearsal type matter rather than the amount you do.
They discovered that maintenance rehearsal does not transfer info into LTM, it just maintains it in STM.
Elaborative rehearsal keeps information in LTM because it links info to existing knowledge
This suggests the MSM and process of rehearsal does not fully explain the process of remembering info in LTM
What is another limitation of the MSM (methodological)
There are methodological issues with evidence used the support then MSM
Research studies that support model use digits, letters, words and consonants syllables
instead of meaningful materials such faces or names that our memory is actually related to in everyday life.
Reduces external validity as the artificial material used means the studies aren’t representative of real memory in everyday life
