AO3 - Multi-Store Model

• The MSM of memory has been useful in helping our understanding of how memory works, and most psychologists support the existence of separate stores for short-term and long-term memory.
• The MSM is believed to be too simplistic, as memory is thought to be a complex process.
• Glanzer & Cunitz (1966) conducted a laboratory experiment to test memory recall using a list of words.
• Glanzer & Cunitz (1966) support the 'primacy' and 'recency' effect in memory.
• Glanzer & Cunitz (1966) suggest that the first few words on a list are rehearsed and pushed into LTM, where as the last few words are still being rehearsed in STM.
• The case of brain-damaged patient H.M supports the MSM of memory.
• H.M had problems with his short-term memory but his long-term memory remained mostly intact. This supports the idea that STM and LTM are separate stores.
• Sperling (1960) flashed a grid of 20 letters onto a screen for a 20th of a second. When participants were asked to recall random rows of letters the recall was strong. This suggests that the iconic store in the sensory register has a large capacity.
• Baddeley (1966) gave four 10 word lists to participants. The words were either acoustically similar/dissimilar or semantically similar/ dissimilar.
• Baddeley (1966) found that immediate recall was worst for acoustically similar words, and recall after 20 minutes was worst for semantically similar words. This suggests that information in STM is coded acoustically, and LTM semantically.
• Many of the studies supporting the MSM are lab experiments so lack ecological validity.
• Many of the supporting studies use students as their participants so lack population validity.
• Many of the supporting studies involved unrealistic tasks so lack mundane realism.
• Many of the supporting studies are conducted under controlled conditions in the lab, so have high reliability.
• Shallice & Warrington (1970) studied the case of K.F who had amnesia following a motorbike accident. His STM was severely impaired, instead of 7 items, KF was only able to recall 1 or 2 items from a list.
• Research has highlighted two different types of rehearsal in memory; maintenance and elaborative.
• Craik & Watkins (1973) found that elaborative rehearsal is needed for LTM.
• Maintenance rehearsal is effective in STM, but less so in LTM.