The MULTI STORE MODEL

Question 1

What is the multi story model of memory

Answer 1

A representation of how memory works - built of 3 stores

• sensory register
• STM
• LTM

Question 2

What is the sensory register

Answer 2

Memory stores for each of our 5 senses

• iconic store-vision
• echoic store-hearing

Coding for the iconic sensory register is visual and for the echoic it is acoustic.

The capacity is HUGE (millions of receptors)

Duration is a few seconds

Question 3

STM

Answer 3

Limited capacity store because it can only store a number of ‘things’ before forgetting takes place

5-9 items of information (7+-2)

Lasts about 30 seconds unless rehearsed
-maintenance rehearsal

Question 4

LTM

Answer 4

Permanent memory store for information that had been rehearsed for a prolonged time

• last many years
• coded semantically

Question 5

Evaluation- supporting research evidence

Answer 5

MSM is supported by research studies
Baddeley’s
Study showed that in the STM things are coded acoustic and in LTM semantically

Question 6

Evaluation - there is more than one type of STM

Answer 6

Shallice and Warrington (1970)
Studied patient KF with amnesia 
Found that he had different types of STM
-digits was poor when read to him
-digits was good when he read them

Shows that the STM may not be a unitary store and MSM fails to explain this

Question 7

Evaluation- there is more than one type of rehearsal

Answer 7

Only states Maintenance rehearsal
But
Crain and Watkins (1973)
Found that there is elaborative rehearsal that is needed for long term storage

Model cannot be explained