the multi-store model of memory

Question 1

who created the model

Answer 1

atkinson & shiffrin (1968/71)

Question 2

name the three stores present in the model

Answer 2

sensory register, STM and LTM

Question 3

how does information pass into the sensory store

Answer 3

stimulus from environment

Question 4

describe the sensory register

Answer 4

• all stimuli from the environment pass into it
• has several registers - 1 for each of 5 senses
• coding for each store is modality-specific - eg. store coding for visual info is iconic memory & store coding acoustically (sound) is echoic
• duration is less than 1/2 a second
• very high capacity

Question 5

how does info pass into STM from sensory register

Answer 5

paying attention

Question 6

describe STM

Answer 6

• coding mainly acoustic
• duration around 18 secs
• limited capacity (7+/-2)
• maintenance rehearsal occurs when we repeat material over & over

Question 7

how does info pass from STM into LTM

Answer 7

prolonged rehearsal

Question 8

describe LTM

Answer 8

• limitless capacity
• unlimited duration
• coded mostly semantically

Question 9

how do we recall info from LTM to STM

Answer 9

transferred into STM via retrieval

Question 10

evaluation of multi store model - AO3

Answer 10

+)
P: research support for STM & LTM are different stores
E: Baddeley (1966) found we mix up words that sound similar when using STM but mix up words with similar meanings when using LTM. further support from studies of capacity (miller/jacobs) & duration (peterson/peterson & bahrick et al.)
–> also case study of HM (ON SEPARATE FLASHCARD)
T: show STM & LTM are separate stores as claimed my msm
COUNTERPOINT
-)
P/E: in everyday life we form memories related to useful things (eg. names, faces etc.) & many of studies use none of these instead they use artificial material
T: msm may not be valid model of how memory works in everyday life as we have to remember more meaningful material

-)
P: evidence of more than 1 STM store
E: shallice & warrington (1970) studied client (case study - KF) with clinical memory disorder (amnesia) - their STM for digits was poor when read out loud to him but recall was better when he read the digits himself. further studies for KF show there may be a STM store for non-verbal sounds
T: evidence shows that the msm is wrong in claiming there’s 1 STM store processing different types of info

-)
P: (elaborative reheaseral) prolonged rehearsal is not needed for transfer to LTM
E: craik & watkins (1973) found the type of rehearsal is more important than the amount - elaborative rehearsal is needed for LTM storage (linking info to existing knowledge/think about meaning)
T: suggests msm does not fully explain how LTM storage is achieved

-) EXTRA
P: bygone model - atkison & shiffrin based msm on research evidence available at time that showed LTM/STM as separate/independent stores
E: however, there’s a lot of research that STM/LTM are not single memory stores eg. 1 LTM store for facts of world & 1 for our memories of how to ride a bike
T: the msm is an oversimplified model of memory

Question 11

case study of HM as supporting evidence

Answer 11

• underwent brain surgery (epilepsy)
• hippocampus removed (both sides of brain)
• could not form new LTM
• performed well on tests on immediate memory span (STM)
  SHOWS HOW STM AND LTM ARE 2 DISTINCT & SEPARATE STORES