multi-store model of memory

Question 1

what is the multi-store model

Answer 1

Created by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968)

Represents how memory is stored, transferred between the different stores, retrieved and forgotten

Information processing model of memory

Linear model where information is shown to flow through the system in one direction

Sensory register - Info from the five sense collected by sensory neurons and stored in the brain
Iconic (eye), echoic (ear), tactile(touch), gustatory(taste), olfactory(smell)

Sensory register –> short term memory -info is only passed onto short term memory if attention is paid
If attention is not given then the info will be lost (decay)

Short term memory –> long term memory - Info can be passed onto long term memory through maintenance rehearsal( you repeat it over and over)
Or through elaborative rehearsal (linking new information to existing information, creating meaning)

Long term memory–> short term memory
If you want to talk about something in the long term memory it must be brought back to the short term memory to discuss

Question 2

strength of multistore model

Answer 2

P- research support

E- HM underwent brain surgery remove his hippocampus and amygdala to control his seizures. As a result of his surgery, H.M.’s seizures decreased, but he could no longer form new memories or remember the prior 11 years of his life

E- The fact that HM had no memory for events that happened just hours or even minutes earlier but his almost-normal digit span showed that he could recall information that was presented to him immediately, shows that it is possible to suffer damage to short term memory but still retain the long term memory

L-Supports that there are two separate stores : long term memory and short term memory

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P- research support

E- Squire et al (1992) found that when you conducted a brain scan on a participant then STM and LTM are located in different parts of the brain

A- This shows that they must be two separate stores if they are in two distinct parts of the brain

C- Squire et al (1992) used brain-scanning techniques and found that STM can be associated with activity in the prefrontal cortex and that LTM can be associated with activity in the hippocampus.

E- This is a strength because it provides biological evidence that the different types stores are distinct as the multi-store model suggests of memory are processed by different parts of the brain and that the memory

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P- Shallice and Warrington (1970) reported the case of a man named KF who had been in a motorcycle accident

E-KF had severe damage to his STM whilst his LTM remained intact

A- KF’s STM for digits was very poor when they were read out loud to him but he could recall when he left the digits to himself

C- This again indicates that there are two separate store

Question 3

weakness of multistore model

Answer 3

model is oversimplified
in STM in particular
WMM might be a more valid explanation