MSMOM SR Flashcards
what is the multi-store model of memory?
-devised by Atkinson & Shiffrin 1968
-first cognitive explanation of memory
-sees information flowing through a series of storage systems
what is the sensory register?
-an automatic response to the reception of sensory information by the sense organs, and the first storage system of the MSMOM
what is the coding of the SR?
-info is stored in its raw, unprocessed form, separate sensory stores for each sensory input
-echoic store (auditory info)
-iconic store (visual info)
-haptic store (Tactile info)
-gustatory store (taste info)
-olfactory store (smell info)
-info that is paid attention to goes to the STM, the rest fades quickly though trace decay
research on the coding of the SR
-Crowder 1993 - SR only retains info in the iconic store for a few milliseconds, but for 2-3 seconds in the echoic store, supporting the idea of different sensory stores
evaluate the coding of the SR
-after-images of visual events provide good evidence of sensory memories (eg light trails)
-sensory memory stores consist of several sub-stores eg visible persistence
what is the capacity of the SR?
very large
-unprocessed, highly detailed and ever-changing format
research on the capacity of the SR
-Sperling 1960 - 3x4 grid of letters, flashed for 1/20 of a second, asked to recall a row, recall was high, suggesting all the info was there so capacity is large
evaluate the capacity of the SR
-calculating capacity involves patients having to evaluate cues that suggest a change in random wave patterns, which only provide estimates and lack mundane realism
-evidence that the iconic store can hold 15-20 images, but other stores capacity’s aren’t well studied as it’s very brief
what’s the duration of the SR?
limited, changes for each store, some evidence that duration decreases with age
research on the duration of the SR
-Walsh & Thompson 1978 - iconic store has a duration of 500 milliseconds, which decreases with age
evaluate the duration of the SR
-the brief duration of sensory memories seems to be because of their physical traces (engrams) fading quickly , suggesting a biological explanation
