Models of memory: MSM Flashcards
Who came up with the Multi-store model of memory?
Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968)
How do we keep things in our memory for longer?
Maintenance rehearsal
How does information move from the sensory register to the STM?
By paying attention
How is information lost in the SR?
By decay
How is information lost in the STM?
By decay or displacement
How does information transfer from the STM to the LTM?
Elaborative rehearsal
How are the 3 stores linked in the MSM?
By processing
What are the strengths of the MSM?
There are separate stores for STM and LTM
Murdocks serial position research
Sperling’s sensory register
What are the weaknesses of the MSM?
STM and LTM aren’t unitary
Clive wearing
Strength of the MSM: There are different stores within memory.
This means research has shown there are separate stores for STM and LTM.
Evidence for this comes from KF who suffered brain damage from a motorcycle accident meaning his STM was damaged (he only had a digit span of 2) but his LTM remained intact. This is a strength because it supports the view they memory does have separate stores otherwise all of KFs memory would have been damaged equally.
Strength of the MSM: Separate LTM and STM by Murdock.
Murdock’s serial position research found that no matter how many words a person is shown and then asked to recall, items at the beginning of the list have a greater recall than the ones in the middle (the primacy effect) and words at the end have a greater recall than the ones in the middle (the recency effect). It was concluded that that the primacy effect meant the words had time to be rehearsed (maintenance rehearsal) and the recency effect meant that the words didn’t have time to decay or be displaced. this is positive as it provides scientific evidence to support many ideas that are in the MSM.
Weakness of the MSM: The STM may not be unitary.
This means that the MSM argues that there is only one type of short term memory. Evidence for this comes from KF because his verbal STM was affected but his visual STM was unaffected. This is a problem because it goes against the view that the STM is one unitary store, otherwise all of KFs STM would have been damaged equally. Therefore the MSM is insufficient to fully explain STM on its own.
Weakness of the MSM: The LTM isn’t unitary
This means that the MSM argues that there is only 1 type of LTM. Evidence for this comes from the case of Clive Wearing who suffered brain damage and lost his episodic memory (e.g no memory of his wedding) but he still has his procedural memory (he can still play piano). This is a problem because it suggests there are other types of LTM otherwise all of Wearings memory would have been damaged equally. Therefore, the MSM is insufficient to explain the LTM on its own.
