Multi-store Model Of Memory

Question 1

Outline the sensory register in the multi-store model of memory.

Answer 1

1- Contains several registers for each of the 5 senses.

2- Coding in the iconic store (vision) is visual and coding in the echoic store (sounds) is acoustic.

3- Huge capacity.

4- Duration of less than half a second.

5- Information from this register will only pass in further to the system if you pay attention to it.

Question 2

Outline short-term memory in the multi-store model of memory.

Answer 2

1- Memory held here so it can be used for immediate tasks.

2- Codes acoustically (found by Baddley).

3- Capacity of between 5-9 items.

4- Duration of 18-30 seconds without rehearsal.

5- Prolonged rehearsal allows info to go into LTM.
Maintenance rehearsal keeps info in STM.

Question 3

Outline long-term memory in the multi-store model of memory.

Answer 3

1- Permanent memory store for info that has been rehearsed for a prolonged time.

2- Codes semantically.

3- Capacity is unlimited (found by Bahrick et al)

4- When wanting to recall info from LTM, it must be transferred back to STM via retrieval.

Question 4

Explain the difference between prolonged rehearsal and elaborative rehearsal.

Answer 4

Prolonged rehearsal involves repeating information either out loud or in your head whereas elaborative rehearsal works by relating new concepts to old concepts that are already in LTM.

Question 5

Give one strength of the multi-store model of memory.

Answer 5

Acknowledges distinct qualitative differences between LTM and STM.
Research support.

Baddley’s research shows that the STM store and LTM store are different and separate stores. The multi-store model represents them as separate.
-Baddley conducted a study utilising word lists to investigate how STM and LTM encode. Found that they encode differently supporting the idea that they are separate stores.

Question 6

What are two limitations of the multi-store model of memory?

Answer 6

1. There are different types of long-term memory that the multi-store model does not account for.
   -Case studies such as Clive Wearing have shown there is more than one type of long-term memory. The MSM wrongly represents the LTM store as a single, unitary store.
   -MSM doesn’t show that some types of LTM can be retrieved unconsciously whilst others have to be retrieved consciously.
2. Incorrectly represent STM as a single, unitary store.
   -Shallice and Warrington found their amnesia patient (KF) had poor short-term memory recall for auditory information but increasingly accurate recall for visual stimuli. This suggests that there may be more that one type of STM that the MSM does not account for these types.