Multi Store Model Of Memory Flashcards
How many stores does the MSM have?
3
What are the names of the stores in the MSM?
Sensory register, STM store, LTM store
Explain the role of the sensory register in the MSM?
All stimuli from the environment pass into the sensory register. It consists of several stores/registers, one for each sense. The coding in each store depends on the sense, and the duration of material in the SR is very brief (less than half a second). SR’s have a very high capacity. Info only passes further into the memory system if you pay attention to it
What store in the SR codes for visual information?
Iconic memory
What store in the SR codes for acoustic info?
Echoic memory
What process passes info from the sensory register to the STM?
attention
Explain the short term memory store in the MSM?
Info is coded acoustically and lasts around 18 seconds, unless it is rehearsed. It is more of a temporary store. It is a limited capacity store because it can only contain a certain number of “things” before forgetting occurs. Its capacity is between 5-9 items. If we rehearse info long enough, it passes into LTM
When does maintenance rehearsal occur?
Occurs when we repeat material to ourselves over and over again and if it is rehearsed enough, the info passes into the LTM
Explain the role of the long term memory in the MSM?
Potentially a permanent memory store for info that has been rehearsed for a prolonged period of time. It is coded mostly semantically, and it is believed that its duration may be up to a lifetime. When we want to recall info from our LTM, it has to be transferred back into the STM by a process called retrieval
What process transfers info from the LTM to the STM?
retrieval
What is a strength of the MSM? (support)
It has support from studies showing that STM and LTM are different. For example, Baddeley found that we tend to mix up words that sound similar when we are using STM but mix up words with similar meanings when we use our LTM. This is a strength because the study clearly shows that the STM and LTM are separate and independent memory stores, as claimed by the MSM
What is a limitation of the MSM? (STM)
There is evidence of more than one STM store. A client called KF was studied as he had amnesia. His STM for digits was very poor when they were read out to him but he could recall digits easily when he read the digits to himself. Further studies showed there could be a separate ST store for non verbal sounds. This is a imitation because it suggests that the MSM is wrong in claiming that there is just one STM store processing different types of info
What is a limitation of the MSM? (LTM)
Prolonged rehearsal isn’t needed to transfer info to LTM. The MSM claims that the amount of rehearsal is important as rehearsing something more will transfer it to LTM. This is prolonged rehearsal. However a study found that the type of rehearsal is more important than the amount. Elabourative rehearsal is needed for long term storage. This is linking info to existing knowledge so prolonged rehearsal isn’t needed. This is a limitation because it suggests that the MSM doesn’t fully explain how long term storage is achieved.
