the multi-store model of memory

Question 1

who developed multi-store model

Answer 1

Atkinson and Shiffrin

Question 2

when was multi-store model developed

Answer 2

1968,1971

Question 3

what does multi-store model show

Answer 3

describes how information flows through the memory system. suggests memory is made up of 3 stores linked by processing

Question 4

multi-store model definition

Answer 4

a representation of how memory works in terms of 3 stores called the sensory register, short-term memory (STM), long-term memory (LTM). it also describes how information is transferred from one store to another, what makes some memories last and what makes some memories disappear

Question 5

what does sensory register do

Answer 5

stimuli from environment pass into sensory register. this part of memory comprises several registers (sensory memory stores), one for each of our 5 senses

Question 6

sensory register coding for visual information

Answer 6

iconic memory

Question 7

sensory register coding for acoustic information

Answer 7

echoic memory

Question 8

sensory register coding

Answer 8

modality specific for each store

Question 9

what are the 5 sensory stores in the sensory register

Answer 9

visual,acoustic, touch, taste and smell

Question 10

sensory register duration

Answer 10

less than half a second

Question 11

sensory register capacity

Answer 11

high, for example there are over 100 million cells in one eye, each storing data

Question 12

when does information pass from sensory register further into memory system

Answer 12

if you pay attention

Question 13

short-term memory coding

Answer 13

mainly acoustically

Question 14

short-term memory duration

Answer 14

18 seconds unless rehearsed

Question 15

short-term memory capacity

Answer 15

limited as can only contain a certain number of things before forgetting occurs. capacity is between 5-9 items, but Cowan’s research suggests it is more like 5

Question 16

what is maintenance rehearsal

Answer 16

when we repeat material to ourselves over and over again

Question 17

why do we do maintenance rehearsal

Answer 17

keep information is short-term memory for as long as we rehearse it, if we rehearse long enough it passes onto long-term memory

Question 18

when does short-term memory pass into long-term memory

Answer 18

when we have rehearsed it for long enough

Question 19

what is long-term memory

Answer 19

potentially permanent memory store for information that has been rehearsed for a prolonged time

Question 20

long-term memory coding

Answer 20

mostly semantically

Question 21

long-term memory duration

Answer 21

potentially up to a lifetime

Question 22

evidence long-term memory duration may be up to a lifetime

Answer 22

Bahrick et al found many participants were able to recognise names and faces of their school classmates almost 50 years after graduating

Question 23

long-term memory capacity

Answer 23

practically unlimited

Question 24

recall of long-term memory

Answer 24

it has to be transferred back into short-term memory by a process called retrival

Question 25

what happened to HM

Answer 25

underwent brain surgery to relieve epilepsy. but, the procedure used was not fully understood and the hippocampus was removed from both sides of his brain –> which we now know to be central to memory function

Question 26

what surgery did HM have

Answer 26

to relieve epilepsy

Question 27

what part of HM’s brain was removed

Answer 27

hippocampus on both sides

Question 28

what does hippocampus do

Answer 28

central to memory function

Question 29

what happened to HM’s memory

Answer 29

-couldn’t form new long-term memories such as could not recall what had happened earlier in the same day
-performed well on tests of immediate memory span (STM)

Question 30

strength of MSM ~ research support

Answer 30

-studies showing that STM and LTM are different
-Baddely found we mix up words that sound similar when using STM, but mix up words that have similar meanings when using LTM –> shows STM and LTM are different sperate stores as MSM claims

Question 31

limitation of MSM ~ counterpoint to research support

Answer 31

in everyday life we form memories related to useful things, but many studies supporting MSM use digits, letters and words which are not useful are are know as constant syllables that have no meaning –> MSM may not be valid model of how memory works in everyday lives when we have to remember more meaningful information

Question 32

limitation of MSM ~ more than one STM store

Answer 32

-Shallice and Warrington (1970) studied client KF who had amnesia. KF STM for digits was very poor when read aloud to him but much better when he read the digits himself
-further studies show there could be another STM store for non-verbal sounds –> suggests MSM is wrong in claiming there is one store from STM processing different types of information

Question 33

limitation of MSM ~elaborative rehearsal

Answer 33

-prolonged rehearsal is not needed for transfer to LTM
-MSM says what matters about rehearsal is the amount of it as the more you rehearse, the more likely you are transfer to LTM (prolonged rehearsal). Craik and Watkins found elaborative rehearsal is needed for long-term storage. this occurs when you link the information existing knowledge or think about what it means, so info can be transferred to LTM without prolonged rehearsal –> MSM does not explain fully how long-term storage is achieved

Question 34

MSM evaluation ~ Bygone model

Answer 34

-Atkinson and Shiffrin based MSM on research evidence as the time showing STM and LTM to be single memory stores, seperate and independent from each other
-however, there is research evidence for LTM, like STM is not a single store. this combined with research showing there is more than one type of STM, more than one type of rehearsal, MSM is an oversimplified model of memory

Question 35

what is elaborative rehearsal

Answer 35

linking the information to existing knowledge or think about what it means