The Multi-store Model of Memory Flashcards
What are the 6 main components of the MSM?
Sensory register Attention Short-term memory Maintenance rehearsal Long-term memory Retrieval
Define multi-store model.
An explanation of memory based on three separate memory stores, and how information is transferred between these stores.
What is the sensory register in the MSM?
The place where information is held at each of the senses and the corresponding areas of the brain.
What is the capacity, duration and coding of the sensory register?
Capacity is very large, constantly receiving information, most receives no attention
Duration is very short (milliseconds)
Coding depends on sense organ involved
What is attention in the MSM?
The first step in remembering something
If a persons attention is focused on one of the sensory stores, data is transferred to short-term memory
What is STM in the MSM?
Information held here can be used for immediate tasks
Limited duration - information decays quickly if not rehearsed
Information disappears as new information enters - pushed out or displaced as STM has limited capacity
What is maintenance rehearsal in the MSM?
The more information is rehearsed, the better it is remembered
Repetition keeps information in STM but eventually repetition creates a long-term memory
What is LTM in MSM?
Unlimited duration and capacity
What is retrieval in MSM?
Process of getting information from LTM involves information passing back through STM.
Strengths of the MSM
- neuroscience uses evidence from fMRI bran scans - hippocampus active during LTM tasks, prefrontal cortex active during STM tasks
- case study of HM
- case study of Clive wearing
- Glanzer and Cunitz
What does the HM case study show?
Brain damage caused by an operation to remove the hippocampus from both sides of his brain to reduce severe epilepsy he had suffered.
Personality and intellect remained intact but he couldn’t form new LTMs
What does the case study of Clive wearing show?
Had amnesia: no LTM - no memories of the past
Only has STM
What did Glanzer and Cunitz test?
They wanted to explain why there is a primary and recency effect
What was the procedure of Glanzer and cunitz’s experiment?
Someone reads out a list of 20 words
2 groups, one groups had to write down as many words as they could remember
Other group had to count down from 100 in threes, after 20 seconds if counting they has to write down as many words as they could remember
What was the results of the Glanzer and Cunitz experiment?
Group 1:
High percentage of words recalled when they were
Position at the beginning and higher percentage of words recalled when they were at the end.
Group 2:
Earlier words were remembered better than those at the end, gradual decrease in percentage
