The Multi-Store Model(M) Flashcards
What is the Multi-Store Model?
A representation of how memory works in terms of three stores called sensory register, short term memory and long term memory
What is the sensory register?
The memory stores for each of our five senses such as vision (iconic sense) and hearing (echoic sense)
Coding in the iconic sensory register is visual and in the echoic sensory register is acoustic
How big is the sensory registers capacity?
Huge as there are Millions of receptors but the information lasts less than half a second
Who conducted the experiment about multi-store memory?
Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968, 1971)
What does Atkinsons and Shiffrins experiment explain?
How the memory flows through the memory system passing through 3 stores linked by processing
What happens in the sensory register?
Stimulus from the environment (e.g. A name) will pass into the sensory revisiter along with sights, sounds, smells ect
This part of the memory is in several stores for the five senses
What are the main stores in the sensory memory?
Iconic (visual- coded visually)
Echoic (sound/auditory- coded acoustically)
What is the duration and capacity in the sensory register?
Duration = less than half a second
High capacity
What process is key in the sensory memory?
Attention - to pass information into other stores
What is the capacity like in the STM?
Very limited
Stores a limited number of pieces of information before it begins it forget
How is the short term memory coded?
Acoustically
What is the duration of the STM?
Roughly 30 seconds- maintenance rehearsal allows the information to be passed onto the LTM
What is the duration of LTM?
Permanent memory store for rehearsed information over a long period of time
What is the capacity of LTM?
Unlimited
What expriment supported that LTM was unlimited?
Bahrick et al (1975) as participants could recognise the names and faces of their school classmates 50 years later
How is it thought that LTM is coded?
Semantically (in terms of meaning)
What happens when information is retrieved from the LTM?
It’s passed to the STM
What was Tulving’s opinion of the MSM?
He thought that the MSM view of the LTM was too simplistic and inflexible
What was Tulvings idea of long term memory?
He thought there was three LTM stores, each containing different information
What are the names of the three LTM stores?
Episodic memory
Semantic memory
Procedural memory
What is episodic memory?
The ability to recall events from our lives which is linked to a diary
What are the features of episodic memory?
Visual complex memory- time stamped
Includes many elements, places, people, objects and behaviours all interwoven into one memory
Make a conscious effort to recall them
What is semantic memory?
Contains knowledge of the world, including facts at the broadest level
What are the features of semantic memory?
Often linked to dictionary/encyclopaedia
Contains your knowledge of a huge number of concepts
Not time stamped
It is less personal and broader, facts everyone shares
What is procedural memory?
The memory for actions, skills or basically how we do things
What are the feature of procedural memory?
No conscious awareness required or effort (driving a car)
The skills we find difficult to explain to others
What is the clinical evidence (evaluation)?
Clive Wearing’s and HM’s episodic memory was impaired because of amnesia
Difficulty recalling events that have happened to them in the past
SM unaffected (don’t recall stroking dog but doesn’t need explanation of what one is)
PM intact (knows how to tie shoes, speak and play piano ect)
What is the neurological evidence (evaluation)?
Tugging et al (1994)- tasks and PET scanners
Found EM and SM recalled fro
Prefrontal correct which is divided into two hemispheres
Left prefrontal cortex= recalls semantic info
Right prefrontal cortex= episodic memory
What is the real life application (evaluation)?
Belleville et al (2006) - EM’s could be improved in older people who had mild cognitive impairment
Trained RPS performed better on EM test after training compared to control group
EM most effected by mild cognitive impairment meaning specific treatments can be developed
What is the extra information (evaluation)?
Clive Weering and HM provide info helping us understand memory but lack control of a variety of variables in clinical studies
Cone and Spine (1980)- disagree with Tulving
Agree with PM but argue that SM and EM are together (declarative memory- memories that are consciously recalled)
What are two studies that support the model?
The primary effect- participants able to recall first few items of a list better than in the middle (earlier items would have been rehearsed better- LTM)
Milner case study on patient HM (1957)- suffered from epilepsy , seizures based on hippocampus - surgically removed Brain around this area, reduced epilepsy, could still form short term memories but unable to form new long term memories- supports separate systems for different memories
