multistore model of memory

Question 1

what are the three main stores in the model?

Answer 1

• sensory memory
• short term memory
• long term memory

Question 2

how does information pass through the stores?

Answer 2

• passes through in a linear way
• information processing model (like a computer) with an input and output

Question 3

what is the encoding in the sensory register?

Answer 3

• one register for each sensory modality
• visual, auditory,haptic,olfactory and gustatory

Question 4

what is the duration of the sensory register?

Answer 4

• limited (less than half a second)

Question 5

what is the capacity of the sensory register?

Answer 5

• very large (over 100 million cells in each eye storing information)

Question 6

what is the key process, storage and retrieval of the sensory register?

Answer 6

• key process = attention
• storage = same format that it was received
• retrieval = scanning

Question 7

what study supports the existence of sensory memory?

Answer 7

• Sperling looked at sensory memory using a tachistoscope
• asked ppts to remember as many letters as they could from 12 symbols
• ppts could remember 4/5 letters showing the image of the item fades

Question 8

what is the duration of the short term memory?

Answer 8

• 18-30 seconds

Question 9

what is the supporting study of Peterson and Peterson?

Answer 9

• showed people trigrams and then asked them to count backwards as a distractor task
• any longer than 15 seconds and recall was impossible

Question 10

what is the encoding and capacity of the short term memory?

Answer 10

• mainly acoustic encoding
• capacity = 7+/- 2

Question 11

what is the key process of short term memory?

Answer 11

• temporary store of information attended to

Question 12

what is the encoding in long term memory?

Answer 12

• mainly semantic

Question 13

what is the duration and capacity of long term memory?

Answer 13

• both are unlimited

Question 14

what is the key process of long term memory?

Answer 14

• material that has been rehearsed for a long time
• when you want to recall it it can be transferred back to the STM

Question 15

what is the study that supports the duration of long term memory?

Answer 15

• Bahrick et al
• 400 ppts aged 17-74
• list names of their graduating class in free recall and photo recognition
• within 15 years = 90% accurate for faces, 48 years = 80% verbal

Question 16

why does displacement from the short term memory occur?

Answer 16

• amount of information enetering the STM exceeds 7+/- 2 items it causes the old or unrehearsed information to be pushed out of STM
• (links to primacy recency affect)

Question 17

why does information decay from the sensory store?

Answer 17

• decays if unattended to

Question 18

how does the case of clive wearing support the multistore model?

Answer 18

• demonstrates that the STM and LTM are different stores
• one store was more impaired than the other so must be independent

Question 19

how does the case study of KF support the multistore model?

Answer 19

• brain damage from a motorcycle accident
• STM severely impaired but LTM remained intact
• supports the idea of separate stores

Question 20

how does the case of KF refute the multistore model?

Answer 20

• deficit in STM was for verbal information but visual material was normal
• shows there must be different kinds of STM

Question 21

what is the study of Glanzer and Cunitz that can be used as a strength?

Answer 21

• shows the primacy recency effect
• ppts recalled more words from the beginning stored in STM by maintenance rehearsal
• fewer words from the middle as they were displaced

Question 22

what is the study of De Groot that opposes the multi store model?

Answer 22

• found that STM was really good when being used alongside the LTM
• when LTM familiarity was removed STM got worse
• suggests that they are linked in some way

Question 23

what is a weakness of using case studies to support the MSM?

Answer 23

• only focus on one person for a long period of time
  hard to apply results of findings to a wider population so low generalisability
• damage to memory occurs differently in everybody

Question 24

what is a strength of the study of squire et al who gives evidence for biological links to the stores?

Answer 24

• supports that STM is associated with the PFC and LTM can be associated with the hippocampus

Question 25

why is the multistore model reductionist?

Answer 25

• rehearsal too simplistic to account for transfer of information from STM to LTM
• e.g. ignored factors such as motivation

Question 26

what is an application for eyewitness testimonies?

Answer 26

• eyewitness testimonies may be inaccurate as if memory isnt rehearsed then it wont enter the LTM