Models of memory Flashcards
Who created the multi store model of memory
Atkinson and Shriffin (1968)
What does the multi store model propose
- that memory consists of three stores-a ST, a short term store and a long term store
- information has to pass through these stores to become a memory
Explain the muti store model
- information from our enviornment initially goes into the sensory register. If attention is paid, the information will pass into STM
- STM has a finite capacity and duration, but if information is processed further then it can be transferred to LTM. The information can then remain there forever
Studies to support the recency effect
- pps tend to remember the first and last items better thsn those from the middle of the list
- as STM has a capacity of around items, the words in the middle of the list, if not rehearsed, are displaced from STM by the last few words heard
- these last words are still in STM at the end of the experiement and can be recalled
Milner et al (1957) support for multi store model
- case study of HM who suffered epilepsy
- seizures based in hippocampus
- doctors decided to surgically remove part of the brain around this area
- the operation reduced his epilepsy but let to memory loss
- he could still form short term memories, but was unable to form new long term memories
- supports the idea that different types of memory are separate systems in the brain
Limitations of the multi store model
- in the model, information is transferred from the STM to LTM through rehearsal. In real life, people don’t always spend time rehearsing, yet they still transfer information into LTM. Rehearsal is not always needed for information to be stored and some items can’t be rehearsed
- the model is oversimplified. It assumes there is only one long term store and one short term store. This has been disproved by evidence from brain damaged patients, suggesting several different short term stores and other evidence suggesting long term stores
Who developed the Working memory model
Baddely and Hitch (1974)
What did the working memory model propose
-that STM, rather than being a single store, is an active processor which contains several different stores
Components of the working memory model
- central executive
- phonological loop=phonoligcal store+articulatory process
- episodic buffer
- visuo-spatial sketchpad
- long term memory
What is the central execuative
a key component and can be described as attention. It has a limited capacity and control’s ‘slave’ systems that also have limited capacity
What is the phonological loop
this holds speech based information. It is made up of a phonological store (the inner ear) and an articulatory process (the inner voice, which rehearses information by repeating it)
What is the visuo-spatial sketchpad
this deals with the temporary storage of visual and spatial information
What is the episodic buffer
this was added in 2000, and briefly stores information from the other subsystems and integrates it together, along with information from LTM, to make complete scenes of ‘episodes’
What was the working memory model based on
based on results from studies that used ‘interference tasks’:
- if pps are asked to perform 2 tasks simultaneously that use the same system, their performance will be affected
- according to the working memory model, both these tasks use the phonological loop. This has limited capacity so it can’t cope with both tasks. Performance on one or both tasks will be affected
- however if the two tasks involve different systems, performance isn’t affected on either task
Shallice and Warrington (1974)-case of KF for support of working memory model
- KF was a brain damaged patient who had an impaired STM
- his problem was with immediate recall of words presented verbally, but not with visual information
- this suggests he had an impaired articulatory loop but an intact visuo-spatial sketchpad
- this finding could not have been used with the multi store model
