The multi-store model of memory Flashcards
What is the multi-store model?
Representation of how memory works in terms of three stores (sensory register, STM and LTM)
Who developed the MSM?
Atkinson and Shiffrin
What does the sensory register consist of?
- Echoic memory
- Iconic memory
- Other sensory stores
What does the sensory register do?
All stimuli from environment passes into the sensory register
How is the sensory register coded?
- Iconic: visually coded
- Echoic: acoustically coded
What is the duration of the sensory register?
Very brief: less than half a second
What is the capacity of the sensory register?
Very high capacity
How is information in the STM coded?
Acoustically coded
What is the duration of the STM?
18 seconds
What is the capacity of the STM?
Between 5 and 9 pieces of information (7 + or - 2)
What is the function of the STM?
A temporary store of memory
What is maintenance rehearsal?
Occurs when we repeat material to ourselves over and over. We keep info in our STM as long as we rehearse it. If we rehearse it long enough, it passes to our LTM
How is information in the LTM coded?
Semantically coded
What is the duration of the LTM?
Up to a lifetime
What is the capacity of the LTM?
Unlimited capacity
What is the function of the LTM?
Long term memory store
How does retrieval happen?
Information from the LTM has to be transferred back to the STM
What is the study of HM?
- His hippocampus was removed during brain surgery
- He could not form new long term memories
- But, his short term memory was strong
STRENGTH- Separate stores
I= research support shows STM and LTM are separate
D= Baddeley found we mix up similar sounding words using STM and words with similar meanings using LTM
E= shows that STM and LTM are separate and independent memory stores
What are the limitations of the MSM?
- Artificial situation in studies
- More than one STM store
- Prolonged rehearsal not needed (elaborative)
- Evidence shows there are separate types of LTM
LIMITATION- Artificial situation
I= Studies lack realism and use artificial situations
D= Lack of meaningful information in studies: digits/letters (Jacobs), words (Baddeley), consonant syllables (Peterson and Peterson)
E= MSM is an invalid model of how memory works in everyday life
LIMITATION- More than one STM store
I= Evidence suggests there is more than one STM store
D= Shallice and Warrington studied KF (amnesia). KF’s STM for digits read aloud was poor, but STM for digits he read to himself was strong
E= Suggests MSM is wrong in claiming there is only one STM store
LIMITATION- Prolonged rehearsal not needed
I= Prolonged rehearsal is not needed for transfer to LTM
D= MSM states the more you rehearse something, the more likely it is to transfer to LTM. Craik and Watkins suggest type of rehearsal is more important. Elaborative rehearsal is needed for LTM storage- link information to existing knowledge
E= MSM does not fully explain how long term storage is achieved
LIMITATION- Separate stores of LTM
I= evidence suggests that LTM is not a single store
D= LTM consists of 3 types: episodic, semantic, procedural
E= MSM is an oversimplified model of memory
