Models of Memory Flashcards
Who thought of the Multi-store model?
Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin (1968)
What are the three unitary stores of the Multi-store model?
Sensory register, STM, LTM
Multi-store diagram
Environmental input -> sensory register -> STM <–> LTM
Sensory register
Stores sensory information from the environment for a short period of time
What are the 5 sensory stores?
Ionic, Echoic, Haptic, Gustatory, Olfactory
Ionic
Visual image
Echoic
auditory
Haptic
touch
Gustory
taste
Olfactory
smell
What is the duration of the sensory register?
250 milliseconds
What is the capacity of the sensory register?
Unlimited
What is the coding of the sensory register?
dependant on the sense
What was the method of the Sperling (1960) study?
Done in lab conditions, pps shown grid with three rows of four letters for 50 milliseconds and had to immediately recall the whole grid or a random row
What were the results of the Sperling (1960) study?
Pps could recall on average 3/4 items in a row
What was the conclusion of the Sperling (1960) study?
Almost whole grid held in sensory register so capacity is large and duration is short
What was the evaluation of the Sperling (1960) study?
+ Lab experiment so highly scientific, Variables controlled and easily replicable
- Lacks ecological validity
What are the strengths of the Multi-store model?
- Explains the primary and recency effect
- Has case studies to support the idea that the STM and LTM are different stores
- Brain scanning techniques also support this
What are the weaknesses of the Multi-store model?
- Idea that all information needs to be rehearsed in order to move in the LTM as it is oversimplified
- Evidence suggesting that STM and LTM are not single stores and the MSM doesn’t expand on this
- Most studies supporting this lack ecological validity
