Multi Store Memory model

Question 1

Who created the MSM model?

Answer 1

Atkinson & Shiffrin 1968

Question 2

What are the key claims of the MSM

Answer 2

each store is Unitary (one store with no separate parts)

each store is separate (features are different / capacity , duration , coding / one can be damaged when the others aren’t)

Question 3

Discuss the sensory register

Answer 3

(memory store for senses)

Capacity = very large 
Duration = limited 
Coding = unprocessed form

• if we don’t pay attention then it fades

Question 4

discuss & evaluate Sperlings (1960) study into the SR

Answer 4

• 3x4 grid of letters flashes for 50ms
• recall letters
• recall single rows with corresponding tones
• recalled approx 4 letters
• capacity = minimum 4 items for 1/5-1/2 of a second
• high control
• low ecological validity

Question 5

outline short term memory

Answer 5

Capacity - 7+/-2
Duration - 18-30s
Coding - Acoustic

Question 6

outline studies into stm

Answer 6

Miller 1956

• digit span technique
• 7+/-2 & chunking

Peterson&Peterson 1959
- 24undergrads , consonant trigram
- asked to count back in threes to stop rehearsal
- after intervals 3,6,9,12,15,18-30+ seconds asked to repeat trigram
- 3secs = 80% recall , 18secs = 10% , 30secs =no trigrams recalled
duration =30secs or less if rehearsal blocked

Question 7

evaluate studies into STM

Answer 7

+ lab experiments

-(7+/-2) individual differences e.g age

Question 8

outline LTM

Answer 8

capacity : unlimited
duration : lifelong
coding : semantic

Question 9

outline and evaluate LTM duration

Answer 9

Bahrick et al (1975)
- 50year period/ 392 graduates/ pics from HS year book/ 2 groups (photo recognition / name recall)

PR :
15y - 90% 
48y - 70%
NR:
15y - 60%
48y - 30%

• high ecological validity
• low control

Question 10

outline and evaluate capacity of LTM

Answer 10

Baddeley (1966)
-british housewives/ 4 conditions/ 10 words :
- acoustically similar, acoustically dissimilar, semantically similar, semantically dissimilar
-STM=immediately recall 10 words / LTM=20 min other task, recall 10 words in correct order
—recall worse for semantically similar than dissimilar & recall worse for acoustically similar words than dissimilar words in STM

• high control (lab)
• low ecological validity
• low population validity

Question 11

evaluation of MSM

Answer 11

• Clive Wearing (case study) / supports MSM / stm elapsed showing this works but could not recall some LTM memories e.g musical education & children names
• CW / doesn’t support / has some long term memories but not others / whole section isn’t damaged showing it’s not unitary / forgets episodic but has procedural
• Glanzer&Cunitz (primacy&recency effect)
• flashbulb memories

Question 12

explain the MSM

Answer 12

stimuli
|
SM
|
attention
|
STM (