The Multi Store Model (MSM) Flashcards
Who developed the multi store model and what does it describe
- Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) developed the Multi-Store Model of memory (MSM),
- it describes the linear flow between three permanent storage systems of memory: the sensory register (SR), short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM).
What is the sensory register
- Where information from the senses is stored
- Has a duration of half a second before it is forgotten
- Has a high capacity
How is information coded in the sensory register
Information is coded into different stores fro example Iconic-Visual infromation being coded visually and echoic- auditory information being coded acousitically
What is the STM
- The limited capacity store
- The capacity is 5-9 items
- Information is coded acoustically
- Duration is 30 seconds unless it is rehearsed
What is maintenance rehearsal
When material is repeated over and over again
If you do this enough the material can be passed onto the Long Term Memory
What is Long Term Memory
The permanent memory store for information that can be achieved through rehearsal for a long period of time
Information tends to be coded semantically
Unlimited duration
unlimited capacity
What is retrieval
When information needs to be recalled from LTM it has to be transferred back into the STM by retirveal
Supporting research evidence for MSM
A strength
- A major strength of the MSM is that it is supported by research studies that show that the STM and LTM are qualitatively different
- Baddeley found that we tend to mix up words that have similar meanings when we use our LTMs.
- The strength of this is that ir reinforces that coding in the STM is acoustic an din the LTM it is semantic. So they are different
- This supports the MSM’s view that these two memory stores are separate and independent
There is actually more than one type of STM
A weakness
- The MSM states that the STM is a unitary store( only one type of STM)
- However evidence from individuals suffering from amneisa show that this cannot be true
- e.g. Shallice and Warrington (1970) studied a patient called KF
- They found that KF’s short term memory for digits was very poor
- But his recall was much better when he read the digits himself
- Furthere studies of KF and other patients of amneisa reveal that there could be another STM store so the STM cannot be unitary
The WMM is a strength due to KF
there is actually more than one type of LTM
Weakness
- There is a lot of reserach that The LTM as well as the STM is not a unitary store
- For example we have one LTM store for our memories of facts about the world and have a different one for our memory of how to ride a bike
There is more than one type of rehearsal
Weakness
- Accoridng to the MSM what matters in rehearsal is the amount of times you rehearse something in order to memorise it.
- However Craik and Watkins (1973) found that this predicition is wron
- What really matters is the type of rehearsal.
- Maintenance rehearsal does not transfer information into LTM it just maintains it in the STM
- Whereas Alaborative rehearsal si needed for LTM storage.
- This occurs when you link the information to your existing knowledge
- This is a serious limitation of the MSM beause it is another reserahc ifnding that cannot be exolained by the model