Multi-store Model of Memory

• Multi-store Model of Memory developed by Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968) & is a flow of information through an information processing system with restrictions in terms of capacity, duration & coding.
• Multi-store Model of Memory:

  1. Information entered through Environment Input
  2. Information goes to Sensory Register or Sensory Memory
  3. Through 'Attention' information goes to Short Term Memory
  4. From STM, there's a Maintenance Rehearsal Loop which aids recall from STM
  5. Information goes into Long Term Memory through Maintenance Rehearsal from STM
  6. Retrieval from LTM means information goes back to STM.
• Sensory:

  • Coding= all senses, eg visual (iconic), auditory or haptic (touch)
  • Capacity= unlimited, as many registers all over parts of brain
  • Duration= very brief fractions of a second
• STM:

  • Coding= auditory (acoustic)
  • Capacity= 7+-2 (5-9)
  • Duration- 18-30 seconds
• LTM:

  • Coding= semantic
  • Capacity= unlimited
  • Duration= unlimited
• Evaluation of MSM of memory- Strength:

  • There's evidence to support that STM & LTM are separate stores.
  • Neurophysiological evidence from FMRI scans- Squire 1992.
  • The FMRI scans were used to assess live brains in actual time, & Squire discovered that when given tasks to activate the LTM, the area of the brain most active was the Hippocampus.
  • Whereas when given STM tasks, areas of Prefrontal Cortex were most active.
  • There is scientific evidence showing STM & LTM are separate as predicted by the Multi-store Model of Memory.
• Evaluation of MSM of memory- Weakness:

  • MSM cannot explain 'flashbulb memory'.
  • In this model rehearsal, it's vital for information to pass into the LTM, but it has been shown that simple retention is not a good way to remember information- 'flashbulb memories' aren't explained.
  • This is where information is in LTM without rehearsal (eg shocking or significant events like Covid lockdown).
  • You remember the vivid details of where you were, when, why etc.
  • When you heard the news without any rehearsal of that specific info- as if a flashbulb went off in your mind & captured it all.
• Evaluation of MSM of memory- Weakness:

  • MSM cannot explain cases of amnesia.
  • Most people with memory problems have either impairment of their STM or LTM, not usually both- suggesting that they're different systems.
  • KF suffered damage to his STM following a motorcycling accident.
  • However, yet again the situation wasn't quite that simple since KF could still recall visual information using his STM, but struggled with auditory & verbal information- making conversation difficult.
• Evaluation of MSM of memory- Weakness:

  • MSM is oversimplified- it fails to reflect the complexity of the human memory.
  • For example, it takes no account of types of things remembered- some things are easier to remember as they're more relevant/ funny/ interesting etc.