Structures of Memory: Multi-store Model of Memory

Question 1

State the different types of long-term memory.

Answer 1

Episodic memory
Semantic memory
Procedural memory

Question 2

Explain episodic memory.

Answer 2

episodic- based on real-life experiences. We can often remember the where, who, when, why, etc.
examples: a birthday party, the first day of school, eating in a restaurant.

Question 3

Explain semantic memory.

Answer 3

semantic- is all about meaning. This is based on the knowledge that you share with others. It is not related to time or an event it is based on what we all know.
examples: memorizing for a test, knowledge of subjects, country names, etc. usually factual info.

Question 4

Explain procedural memory.

Answer 4

Procedural memory is sometimes known as ‘muscle memory’. This is based on remembering how to do things. We recall these memories without having to put much thought into it.
examples: riding a bicycle, speaking your first language, walking, eating, dancing, writing, etc.

Question 5

What is a strength of research into LTM? Give examples and link back to how this supports your point.

Answer 5

A strength of research into LTM is that brain scans show That different types of long-term memory relate to Different brain locations. An example of this is episodic memory, which is found in the right prefrontal cortex. This shows that there are different types of long-term memory as there is scientific evidence to support this.

Question 6

What is another strength of research into LTM? Give examples and link back to how this supports your point.

Answer 6

A strength of research into long-term memory is that it is supported by case studies of amnesic patients. For example, Clive Wearing lost most of his episodic memory but not his procedural memory as he could still play the piano. This again shows that there are different types of long-term memory as the two tasks require different types of memory.

Question 7

What is a weakness of research into LTM? Give examples and link back to how this supports your point.

Answer 7

A weakness is that distinctive types of long-term memory are difficult to separate. There isn’t a clear difference between episodic and semantic memories because memories are usually a mixture of types. Therefore having separate types of long-term memory may be an oversimplification.

Question 8

Give the definition of capacity.

Answer 8

Capacity is the amount of information that can be held in memory. For example, the capacity of short-term memory is 5 to 9 items.

Question 9

Give the definition of encoding.

Answer 9

Encoding is how we process the information changing it into a suitable form so it can be stored. For example, the short-term memory codes acoustically.

Question 10

Give the definition of duration.

Answer 10

Duration is how long the information lasts in our memory. For example, information lasts 18 to 30 seconds in the short-term memory.

Question 11

State the capacity, encoding and duration of sensory memory.

Answer 11

The capacity of sensory memory is unlimited.
And coding of information the sensory memory is modality specific. This means that it depends on the sense being used. For example, encoding visually or encoding semantically.
The duration of sensory memory is very limited, less than 0.5 seconds.

Question 12

State the capacity, encoding and duration of short-term memory.

Answer 12

The capacity of short-term memory is 5 to 9 items. It encodes acoustically. It has the limited duration of 18 to 30 seconds.

Question 13

State the capacity, encoding and duration of long-term memory.

Answer 13

The capacity of long-term memories unlimited meaning that a lot information can be stored in it. It encodes semantically. The duration of information and long-term memory is potentially forever, a lifetime.

Question 14

Outline the multi-store model of memory. (This has 4 parts to it) (1-intro.)

Answer 14

The multi storm model of memory describes flow between 3 permanent storage systems of memory: Sensory memory, Short-term memory and long-term memory.

Question 15

Outline the multi-store model of memory (2- SM.)

Answer 15

The sensory memory is where information from the senses is stored, But only for a duration of approximately half a second before it is forgotten. It is sense specific meaning whichever sense is registered will matched the way it is consequently held.

Question 16

Outline the multi-store model of memory (3- STM.)

Answer 16

However if attended to, sensory information moves into the short-term memory for temporary storage, which will be encoded visually, acoustically or less often semantically. Short-term memory is thought to have a capacity of 5 to 9 items and a duration of approximately 30 seconds.

Question 17

Outline the multi-store model of memory (4- LTM.)

Answer 17

Rehearsing information helps to retain information in the short-term memory, and merge it to long-term memory, Which is mainly encoded semantically. Information can be stored and retrieved for up to any duration, and equally has a seemingly unlimited capacity.

Question 18

Evaluate the multi-store model of memory. (3 parts) (Strength)

Answer 18

A strength of the multi storm model of memory is that there is support for the existence of different memory stores. Baddeley’s study of encoding shows that STM and LTM encode information differently. He found that individuals encode acoustically in their short-term memory and semantically in their long-term memory. This supports the idea that there are different stores for the 2 types of memory.

Question 19

Evaluate the multi-store model of memory. (3 parts) (Weakness)

Answer 19

A weakness of the multi storm model of memory is that the model is too simple as it suggests we only have one store for STM and one store for long-term memory. Research has shown that STM can be divided further and to visual and acoustic stores and long-term memory into episodic semantic, and procedural memory. Therefore, memory is more complex than the model proposes and cannot be used solely to explain memory.

Question 20

Evaluate the multi-store model of memory. (3 parts) (Weakness)

Answer 20

A weakness of the multi storm model of memory is that research that supports it such as Baddeley’s uses artificial materials. For example, participants are often asked to learn a word list or nonsense syllables. This is not a representation of how we would use memory and everyday life therefore this lowers the overall internal validity of the research. This weakens the support for the MSM.

Question 21

What is primacy effect?

Answer 21

Privacy effect refers to what happens first. Words at the start of the list are more likely to recall compared to words in the middle of the list. This is because they have been rehearsed quite well before they are recalled and have become long-term memories.

Question 22

What is recency effect?

Answer 22

Recency effect refers to what has happened more recently. The words that appear at the end of the list are more likely to be recalled than words in the middle as they have been heard most recently and will still be in the STM.

Question 23

What is the serial position effect?

Answer 23

The serial position effect describes the tendency of people to recall the first and last words of a list. The position of the word on the list influences the likelihood of their recall.

Question 24

Describe and evaluate Murdock’s serial position curve study. (6 parts) -1

Answer 24

Murdoch’s aim for investigating memory was to provide evidence for the existence of separate stores for memory. He gave 16 participants 20 words and gave 1 second for each of them. After they had heard all the words, they were asked to recall as many as they could that was repeated 80 times with the same participants to keep results valid.

Question 25

Describe and evaluate Murdock’s serial position curve study. (6 parts) -2

Answer 25

Murdoch results showed that some of the participants were more likely to recall words at the start of the list because they would have been rehearsed quite well and transferred into LTM. This is known as the Primacy effect. Some recalled words at the end of the list, known as Recency effect showing they would have still been in their short-term memory.

Question 26

Describe and evaluate Murdock’s serial position curve study. (6 parts) -3

Answer 26

Murdoch came to the conclusion that there were separate STM and LTM Stores in the multi storm model of memory as the last words on the list were recalled because they were still in the short-term memory store. The serial position curve provides evidence for the existence of short-term memory.

Question 27

Describe and evaluate Murdock’s serial position curve study. (6 parts) -4

Answer 27

One strength of this research into memory is that it is a lab experiment, Which means that it is highly controlled and extraneous variables such as noise and visual distractions were prevented. This ensured the study’s validity is not affected because it is carried out in a controlled environment. But, this can also be considered as a weakness since participants are aware that this is an experiment, therefore have a level of understanding as to what the aim of the experiment is, affecting the experiment’s reliability. This shows that Murdoch’s research has low ecological validity and decreases the reliability of his results.

Question 28

Describe and evaluate Murdock’s serial position curve study. (6 parts) -5

Answer 28

Another weakness of Murdoch study is that the research used an artificial task. This is because participants had to learn lists of words which is not representative of real life as it is not a task done in daily life. Therefore, it reduces validity of Murdoch’s research into memory and the separate stores of STM and LTM.

Question 29

Describe and evaluate Murdock’s serial position curve study. (6 parts) -6

Answer 29

A strength of Murdoch’s serial position curve study is that research with amnesiacs supports the conclusion of the study. Carlesimo et al. found that some amnesiacs can’t store long-term memories and do not show a Primacy effect but do show a Recency effect. This shows that the privacy effect is related to long-term memory. Therefore, strengthening the support for the Primacy and Recency effect.