the multi-store model of memory

Question 1

who came up with the multi-store model?

Answer 1

atkinson and shiffrin, 1968

Question 2

what distinction does the multi store model make?

Answer 2

● makes distinction between separate stores of sensory, STM and LTM

● suggests that STM and LTM are unitary stores

Question 3

explain the multi-store model

Answer 3

● information reaches senses from environment and enters memory system via the sensory register (registers for brief period of time - milliseconds)

● some of info from sensory memory is picked up by the process of attention and passes through to STM

● STM has limited capacity of 7+/-2 items and a duration of 18 seconds

● if we think about meaning of info in STM - a process known as maintenance rehearsal - the info becomes encoded semantically and passed to long-term store

● if rehearsal does not happen, info will be lost through decay or displacement

● info stored in LTM can remain for a lifetime

● when we need to recall info from our LTM, it is called retrieval

Question 4

what are the types of coding for each store?

Answer 4

● sensory register: modality specific coding - iconic memory (visual info) and echoic memory (auditory info)

● short term memory: acoustic

● long term memory: semantic

Question 5

explain HM

Answer 5

● developed severe amnesia after brain surgery

● unable to store any new info in LTM

● however, he preformed well on tests of immediate memory span, a measure of STM

Question 6

explain KF

Answer 6

● had amnesia (clinical memory disorder)

● STM for digits was very poor when they were read out loud to him

● however, recall was much better when he read the digits to himself