Multi Store Model of Memory Flashcards
1
Q
MSM:
A
A representation of how memory works in terms of three stores called sensory register, STM and LTM. It also describes how information is transferred from one store to another, how it is remembered and how it is forgotten.
2
Q
Sensory register:
A
- The memory stores for each of our 5 senses. Iconic store (vision), and echoic store (hearing). Coding in the iconic sensory register is visual and in the echoic it is acoustic.
- The capacity of sensory is huge (millions of receptors) but information lasts for a very short time (less than half a second).
3
Q
Sensory register pathway:
A
A stimulus from the environment will pass through the sensory register.
4
Q
STM:
A
- Has a limited capacity store, can only contain a certain number of ‘things’ before forgetting takes place.
- Between 5-9, though research suggests it is closer to 5.
- Information in STM is coded acoustically and lasts for about 30 seconds.
- Maintenance rehearsal occurs when we repeat material to ourselves over and over again, passing into LTM.
5
Q
LTM:
A
- Potentially permanent memory store for information that has been rehearsed for a prolonged time.
- Can be seen in Bahrick et al. (1975) and that LTM is coded semantically.
- When we want to recall information it has to be transferred back to the STM via retrieval.
- According to the MSM, this is true for all our memories, none are recalled directly from LTM.
6
Q
The Case of HM:
A
- HM underwent brain surgery to relieve his epilepsy, the procedure was in its infancy and not fully understood.
- The hippocampus on both sides was removed, we now know this to be central memory.
- His memory was assessed in 1955, he thought the year was 1953 and he was 27 when he was actually 31.
- He has very little recall of the operation and he could not remember speaking with someone an hour earlier.
- His LTM never improved with practice, despite this he performed well on tests of immediate memory span.
7
Q
E: Supporting Research
A
- Studies show that STM and LTM are qualitatively different.
- Baddeley shows that we tend to mix up words that sound similar with STMs, but mix up words with similar meanings with LTM.
- Shows that coding in STM is acoustic and in the LTM it semantic.
- Further support from all the studies previous deck, supports the MSM’s view that the two memory stores are separate and independent.
8
Q
E: More than one type of STM
A
- MSM states that there is only one type of STM. Evidence from people suffering from amnesia shows that this isn’t true.
- Shalice and Warrington (1970) studied a patient with amnesia called KF.
- KF’s STM for digits was poor when the numbers were read aloud to him, but much better when he could read to himself.
- Further studies of KF and others showes there could be another short-term store for non-verbal sounds.
- The unitary STM is a limitation of the MSM because research shows at the very least there must be one short-term to process visual and another auditory information.
- The WMM includes separate stores.
9
Q
E: More than one type of rehearsal
A
- According to the MSM, what matters in rehearsal is the amount of it that you do. The longer you rehearsal, the more likely you are to transfer to LTM.
- Craik and Watkins (1973) showed that what matters is the type, and found there were 2 types of rehearsal.
- Maintenance rehearsal is described in the MSM, but it does not transfer information into the LTM, only maintains the STM.
- Elaborative rehearsal is needed for long-term memory, when you link existing knowledge to new information.
- A research finding that cannot be explained by the model.
10
Q
E: Artificial Materials
A
- IRL we form memories related to useful things.
- A lot of research studies that support the MSM used digits and letters.
- They even used what are known as consonant syllables with no meaning.
11
Q
E: More than one type of LTM
A
- A lot of evidence that LTM is not unitary.
- For example we have memories of facts about the world, and a different one for how to ride a bike.
