multi-store memory model

Question 1

What 3 sections are involved multi-store model of memory

Answer 1

capacity -How much info can be stored
duration - How long the memory was
coding - How the memories are processed and stored

Question 2

What are the 3 types of memory in the multi-store model of memory

Answer 2

sensory
short term memory
long term memory

Question 3

What is the case study for capacity and duration in sensory memory

what did it tell us

Answer 3

sperling (1960 )
- Participants were shown a grid of numbers and letters for 50 milliseconds then they were asked to recall either the whole grid or a column from the grid

• There was a higher recall for an indicated row instead of the entire grid

This shows sensory memory has a large capacity but very short duration

Question 4

What are the case studies for capacity in the short term memory and what does it tell us?

Answer 4

• Jacobs digit span -
  . read a sequence of numbers or words for participants to recall and gradually increase the amount of words/numbers until they can no longer be recalled correctly
  . shows STM has limited capacity
• Span of memory and chunking (miller)
  . proposed STM can hold 7 +/- 2 chunks of information
  . STM capacity can be increased by chunking information

Question 5

What is the case study for the duration of the short term memory and what does it tell us

Answer 5

Peterson and Peterson (1990)
-participants were presented with a trigram “JFW” the asked to count down in 3s from a random number to prevent rehearsal then recall the trigram
- Shown recall dropped after a few seconds
- STM’s duration is very limited (18 seconds) without rehearsal

Question 6

What is the case study for coding in the short term memory and what does it tell us

Answer 6

Baddeley -
- participants were presented with 4 lists of words: - acoustically similar and dissimilar to compare and semantically similar and dissimilar
- When we hear acoustically similar words it is harder to recall than dissimilar words
- STM is coded acoustically
- Sound effects short term memory

Question 7

What is the case study for coding in long term memory and what does it tell us

Answer 7

Baddeley -
- participants were presented with 4 lists of words: - acoustically similar and dissimilar to compare and semantically similar and dissimilar
- semantically similar words were harder to recall
- information is coded semantically in the LTM

Question 8

What does semantically and Acoustic mean

Answer 8

Semantically - by meaning
Acoustically - by sound

Question 9

Without case studies what is the
capacity
duration and
coding
like in the short term memory

Answer 9

capacity - limited but can be increased by chunking information
Duration - very limited (18 seconds) without rehearsal
Coding - Coded acoustically meaning sound effects the STM

Question 10

What is capacity like in the long term memory

Answer 10

unlimited capacity because it can be stored over a lifetime

Question 11

What is the case study for duration of long term memory and what did it tell us

Answer 11

Bahrick et al 1975 - over 300 American graduates were shown a yearbook aged 17-74 and were tested on names of former class mates.
- participants showed 90 recognition after 15 years and 70% after 48 years
- Shows the LTM has a potentially lifelong duration

Question 12

Without case studies what is the sensory memories do and what
duration
coding

Answer 12

Briefly stores information from our senses
Duration - very brief 50 milliseconds
coding - ionic = visual memory
- echoic - Auditory memory
- Haptic - tactile input

Question 13

Without case study’s what is the
- Duration
- Capacity and
- Coding
like in the STM

Answer 13

Duration - limited to about 18-30 seconds unless rehearsed
Capacity - limited to around 7 +/- 2. Chunking can extend this
Coding - primarily acoustic meaning it is effected by sound

relies on repetition and rehearsal

Question 14

Without case studies what is the
- Duration
-Capacity and
- Coding
like in the LTM

Answer 14

Duration - Potentially a life time
Capacity - potentially unlimited
Coding - Primarily semantic meaning meaning effects it

once stored in the LTM its can be retrieved for the STM to use

Question 15

What are the key processes in the multi-store model (MSM)

Answer 15

Attention- focuses on a sensory input, info is then transferred from the sensory register to the STM
Maintenance Rehearsal - Repeating information in STM strengthens it increasing the likelihood it will go into the LTM
Retrieval - Info stored in the LTM can be brough back into the STM when needed for immediate use

Question 16

What points do you use to evaluate the MSM

Answer 16

• support from case studies
• Support from Experimental research
• Criticism : oversimplification of STM and LTM
• Evidence from brain scanning

Question 17

How does the HM help the evaluation of the MSM and the strengths and weaknesses of them

Answer 17

HM: he had severe epilepsy so got his hippocampus removed. post surgery he was unable to form new long-term memories but retained memories from before the operation. STM was functional but couldn’t be taken to the LTM

strengths: Supports the claim that the STM and LTM are separate stores, Hm could not transfer info between them
weaknesses: Cases such as HM are unique and lack generalisability

Question 18

How does the Clive wearing case study help the evaluation of the MSM
strengths and weaknesses

Answer 18

Clive wearing contracted a virus called amnesia. He could only remember info for around 20-30 seconds before they went blank but could recall events from before his illness, such as his wife’s name

strengths: Demonstrates separation of STM and LTM as info could not be transferred between stores
weaknesses: Wearing’s ability to recall procedural memories (such as playing the piano) challenges the MSM, suggesting that LTM is not a unitary store