Multi Store Model Of Memory

Question 1

Describe the Multi Store Model of Memory (4 marks)

Answer 1

The Multi-Store Model of Memory assumes that information flows through three stores of memory. Firstly, information is received by the five senses and is stored within the sensory memory, next after attention has been paid information can be stored within the short-term memory and if the information has been consistently rehearsed it can stored within the long-term memory. However, each store has a limited capacity, modality and duration- the sensory memory has a duration of 0.2 -0.5 seconds, short-term memory has a duration of up to 30 seconds whilst long term memory has an infinite duration if it has been regularly recalled. Short-term memory also has a limited capacity of 5-9 items of information while both the sensory memory and long-term memory can store a large amount of information. However, if information is not processed between each store or the duration has exceeded than the information can be forgotten and will be decayed, either displaced or interfered by other information.

Question 2

What is the Multi Store Model of Memory?

Answer 2

Sensory memory —- Attention—> Short-term memory —Rehearsal—> Long-term memory
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Forgetting Forgetting Forgetting
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Decay Decay Decay
(Displacement) (Interference)

Question 3

What are the assumptions of the Multi Store Model of Memory

Answer 3

The model is linear and describes how information flows through the memory system
There are three separate stores of memory transferred by different processes
The model describes the sensory register, short-term memory and long-term memory.

Each store has its own characteristics in terms of coding, capacity and duration.

Question 4

According to the Multi-Store model of memory what is the duration of the sensory memory?

Answer 4

0.2 - 0.5 seconds

Question 5

According to the Multi-Store model of memory what is the duration of the short term memory?

Answer 5

Up to 30 seconds

Question 6

According to the Multi-Store model of memory what is the duration of the long term memory?

Answer 6

Infinite

Question 7

According to the Multi-Store model of memory what is the capacity of the sensory memory?

Answer 7

Large amount

Question 8

According to the Multi-Store model of memory what is the capacity of the short term memory?

Answer 8

5-9 items of information

Question 9

According to the Multi-Store model of memory what is the capacity of the long term memory?

Answer 9

Infinite

Question 10

How is information processed (encoded) in the sensory memory according to the Multi-Store Model of Memory?

Answer 10

Information is either processed by sound (echoing or acoustic) or visually (iconic)

Question 11

How is information processed (encoded) in the short term memory according to the Multi-Store Model of Memory?

Answer 11

Information is processed by sound (acoustically), which is why rehearsal from short-term memory into long-term memory is usually by sound in your head.

Question 12

How is information processed (encoded) in the long term memory according to the Multi-Store Model of Memory?

Answer 12

Information is processed once meaning is added to it (semantic)

Question 13

What was the procedure of the Serial Position Effect?

Answer 13

240 US Army males were presented lists of words one at a time
Half the participants were asked to recall the words immediately, whilst the other half had to recall them once they had counted back from 30 seconds, which therefore prevented rehearsal of the words.

Question 14

What did the results of the Serial Position Effect suggest?

Answer 14

Primary Effect- First words are more likely to be recalled
Middle Words- Less likely to recall the middle words
Last Words- More likely to recall the last words
This is known as the primary and recency effect

Question 15

How does the Serial Position Effect support the Multi Store Model of Memory?

Answer 15

Primary Effect- this supports as information which has been rehearsed has therefore has been transferred into the long-term memory
Middle Items- These were displaced by the new items entering the short-term memory without rehearsal
Recency Effect- Supports as information is still in the short-term memory and has been immediately recalled (up to 30 seconds)

Question 16

What were the three case studies used to support or criticise the Multi Store Model of Memory?

Answer 16

HM
KF
Clive Wearing

Question 17

How does the HM Case study support/ criticise the Multi-Store Model of Memory?

Answer 17

HM had his hippocampus removed from his brain.
HM supports the Multi-Store Model of Memory because it shows the importance of rehearsal to process and store information between short-term and long-term memory.
Also, it shows that short -term and long-term memory are separate.

Question 18

How does the KF Case study support/ criticise the Multi-Store Model of Memory?

Answer 18

KF suffered from brain damage after an accident that damaged his short-term memory. However, his impairment was mainly for verbal information, while his memory for visual information was largely unaffected.
Therefore, the KF Case study critiques the Multi-Store Model of Memory because it shows that there are separate components to process short-term memory such as visual and auditory- this shows that the MSM is a simplistic model- Reductionist theory

Question 19

How does the Clive Wearing Case study support/ criticise the Multi-Store Model of Memory?

Answer 19

Clive Wearing Case Study supports type Multi-Store Model of Memory because his short-term memory was severely impaired, whilst his long term memory was largely unaffected as he could remember his wife and how to play the piano. Consequently, this shows that they are two separate stores of memory.
However, it could also be argued that this critiques the Multi Store Model as it shows that there are different types of LTM stores as Clive was able to recall familiar faces as well as previous learnt skills (piano).

Question 20

Evaluate the Multi Store Model Of Memory.

Answer 20

Feasibility- The MSM is praised for its level of feasibility due to the Serial Position Effect, this was where 240 US army males were presented with a list of words. The participants were then split into two groups, one half were asked to recall the words immediately while the other had to recall once they had counted back from 30. This therefore supported the primary and recency effect- the primary effect meant the soldiers were more likely to remember the first set of information as this had been rehearsed and transferred into the Long-term memory. However, the recency effect meant the soldiers were more likely to recall the final items of information as it had remained in their Short-term memory. Consequently, this provides evidence for the theory as it demonstrates that attention and rehearsal needs to be actively engaged for information to be processed and transferred between stores.
Feasibility was also credited with HM- hippocampus removed meant his LTM was impaired but his STM was largely unaffected. This supports the MSM as it shows that there are different memory stores which information can be transferred between.

Usefulness- MSM lacks usefulness as all the research studying feasibility has used simplistic/ artificial tasks such as ‘recalling a list of words’
Therefore, it doesn’t represent how memory is recalled and processed every day (lacks ecological validity)
However, it can be a useful model for students as it provides a strategy to help improve memory. Teachers could also use this model to manipulate how their students can actively learn effectively.

Different theory- Working Memory Model- only for STM

Explanation- However, the MSM cannot explain memory in all individuals due to the KF Case Study. KF suffered brain damage to his STM however this only impaired the processing of verbal information, as visual information was largely unaffected.
Additionally, the case studies used are individual to a person and therefore we cannot assume that memory is processed the same way for everyone.
Finally, the MSM cannot explain the use of Flashbulb and Photographic memory as this is not being actively rehearsed. Here, the MSM would suggest that any memory not being actively recalled would be lost to decay- interference.

Question 21

According to the Multi Store Model of Memory, why does information decay?

Answer 21

Information will decay in the short term memory due to displacement, this is because the short term memory only has a capacity of 5-9 items. Therefore, when the 10th piece of information enters, the first piece of information gets displaced and will decay.

Information will also decay within all stores of memory because of trace decay.Trace decay suggests that learning creates a memory trace which is strengthened during the process of rehearsal, however if it is not retrieved, than the information will decay.

Information will decay in the long term memory due to interference, this is where an item of information interrupts another item of information, so it will decay.