The Multi-Store Model Flashcards
Outline the capacity of sensory memory.
The capacity of sensory memory is large.
Lots of information is available immediately after presentation, but it disappears rapidly. The limit is one of time rather than capacity.
Outline the encoding of sensory memory
Sensory memory can deal with a number of different types if information from the senses, e.g. Images, sounds, tastes.
It encodes and holds information in the same form that it enters sensory memory.
Outline the duration of sensory memory.
The duration of storage in sensory memory may depend on the type of information received.
A visual image may be stored for around 0.5s whereas sounds may stored for 4s
Outline the encoding of STM
Information coming into STM may be coded into another form, e.g. A word may be stored as a sound (acoustic coding), a visual image (visual coding), a concept (semantic coding).
Outline the study investigating the coding in STM.
Conrad- participants were given sequences of letters that were acoustically similar and different, then they had to recall them in that order.
Found that the acoustically similar letters were more easily confused, supporting the idea that STM coding is acoustic.
Outline the capacity if STM
STM has a limited capacity. It can only hold into a small number of items at a time: 7 + - 2.
This makes it hard if we have to manipulate ideas at the same time. Is compared to a leaky bucket- as new info comes in, the original info is displaced.
Outline the study into the capacity of STM
Jacobs- participants were read lists of either letters of numbers that they had to recall immediately. The list was gradually increased until letters were only correctly recalled on 50% of occasions.
9 numbers and only 7 letters were recalled in average and recall seemed to increase with age.
Outline the duration of STM
The duration is about 15-30 secs.
This can be extended through rehearsal and repetition.
Outline the study into duration of STM
Peterson- participants were shown 3 letters and then had to count backwards in 3’s from a given number with intervals of 3, 9, 13, 15, 18. They were then asked to recall the letters.
80% of letters were recalled after 3 secs decreasing as the intervals increased.
Shows that without rehearsal, items only lasting up to 18 secs in STM.
Outline the encoding of LTM
Encoding seems to be mainly semantic and visual, however other types of coding may be used to deal with different types of information e.g. A dog barking would be coded acoustically.
Outline the capacity of LTM
It is thought to have an unlimited capacity therefore it must be very organised in order to retrieve items.
Some believe it involves multiple systems: episodic- personal info & past experiences
Semantic- facts and knowledge
Procedural- how to do things
Outline the study into the duration of LTM
Bahrick- 392 grads shown photos from yearbook.
Recognition group had to match names to photos. They were tested 14yrs, 25yrs, 34yrs, 47yrs after leaving. 14yrs matched 90% correct, decreasing the longer the gap till 47yrs at 60%.
Recall group- had to name people in photos without being given the names. They were tested 7yrs, 47yrs after. At 7yrs 60% of names correct & 47yrs 20% correct.
Shows people can remember certain types of info for almost a lifetime & LTM memory better with recognition rather than recall.
Name strengths of the multi-store model
It is supported by case studies, e.g. studies of brain damaged patients support the idea that there is separate stores for Long term and Short memory stores.
Name a weakness of the multi-store model
It has been criticised for being to rigid and simplistic
