The multi-store model of memory Flashcards
Explain the term ‘multi-store model’
An explanation of memory based on three separate memory stores, and how information is transferred between these stores.
Explain the term ‘sensory register’
Information at the senses - collected by eyes, ears, nose, finger etc.
Information is retained very shortly
Capacity = large
The method of coding depends on the sense organ involved, e.g visual for the eyes of acoustic for the ears.
Outline the role of ‘sensory register’ in the multi store model
- place where information is held - eyes, ears, tongue and the corresponding areas of the brain
- capacity = large
- constantly receiving information but most of these receives no attention and remains for a very brief duration
Outline the role of ‘attention’ in the multi store model
- if attention is focused on one of the sensory stores, then data is transferred to the STM.
- First step to remembering something
Outline the role of ‘short-term memory’ in the multi store model
- Information held here - used for immediate tasks
- has a limited duration - will disappear quickly if it isn’t rehearsed.
- Repetition to remember it = maintenance rehearsal
- Information will disappear from STM if new information enters STM, pushing out (displacing) the original information.
- limited capactiy
Outline the role of ‘maintenance rehearsal’
- Repetition keeps info in the STM eventually put into LTM.
- more information is rehearsed, the better it is remembered
Outline the role of ‘Long-term memory’ in the multi store
- unlimited duration
- unlimited capacity
- forgetting may be due to lack of accessibility
Outline the role of ‘Retrieval’ in the multi store
- process of getting information from LTM involves the information passing back through STM. It is then available for use.
AO3
Is there evidence for the multi store model?
P: Controlled lab studies on capacity, duration and coding support the existence of a separate short term and long term store, which is the basis of the MSM
E: Brain scanning techniques = difference between STM and LTM.
Beardsley - PFC is active during STM but not LTM. Squire et al (1992) - hippocampus active when LTM is engaged.
E: This evidence provides strong support for the MSM.
AO3
Does case studies show support for MSM’s notion of separate stores?
P: Different areas of the brain are involved in STM and LTM - individuals with brain damage
E: Case study of a man called HM - brain damage was caused by an operation to remove the hippocampus from both sides of his brain to reduce the sever epilepsy he had suffered. HM couldn’t form any new LTM, could remember things before surgery
E: Provides support of the MSM’s notion of separate stores, as HM was unable to transfer information from his STM to LTM, but was able to retrieve information from before his surgery (i.e from his LTM).
AO3
Is the multi store model too simple?
P: suggests that both STM and LTM are single stores - research doesn’t support this.
E: working memory model and supporting research shows that working memory (STM) is divided into a number of qualitative stores, i.e not just capacity and duration, but in the kind of memory stored there. The same is true for LTM - research= different kinds of LTM and each behaves differently. For example, maintenance rehearsal can explain long -term storage in semantic memory ( memory for knowledge about the world) but doesn’t explain long term episodic memories ( memories for things that you experienced)
E: This suggests that MSM may be over simplsitic
AO3
Why is the MSM often criticised?
P: It emphasis too much on maintenance rehearsal
E: Craik and Lockhart (1972) - memories created by the processing that you do, rather than maintenance rehearsal. Things that are processed more deeply are more memorable just because of the way they are processed. Craik and Tulving - gave participants a list of nouns and a question that involved shallow or deep processing. Participants remembered the words in the task involving deep processing rather than shallow processing.
E: Suggests that the process of rehearsal doesn’t fully explain the process of creating long term memories. Deep or elaborative processing is also a key part of the process
AO3
How separate are STM and LTM?
P: MSM = STM involved before LTM - questioned by other researchers
E: Logie (1999) - STM relies on LTM - in order to chunk an amount of letter ‘AQABBCITIVD’ you need to recall the meaningful groups of letters and such meanings are stored in the LTM. Ruchkin (2003) - demonstrated by asking participants to recall a set of words and pseudo-words (words designed to sound like real words but have no meaning). Found - more brain activity when real words were processed compared to pseudo-words, indicating the involvement of other areas of the brain than just STM.
E: This research suggests that STM is actually just a part of LTM and not a separate store
