Multi-store model

    Cards (43)

    • What is an overview of the multi-store model?
      • Atkinson and Shiffrin was the first cognitive explanation of memory
      • Memory is characterised as a flow of information through a system
      • System is divided into a set of stages and information passes through each stage in a fixed linear sequence
      • STM and LTM stores are unitary
    • What stores are in sensory memory?
      Haptic, olfactory, gustatory, echoic, iconic
    • What is the capacity of sensory memory?
      Large
    • What is the duration of sensory memory?
      Small
    • How is STM encoded?
      Mainly acoustic
    • What is the capacity of STM?
      7 +/- 2
    • What is the duration of STM?
      18-30 seconds
    • What is LTM encoding?
      Mainly semantic
    • What is the capacity of LTM?
      Unlimited
    • What is the duration of LTM?
      Lifetime
    • How does information transfer from sensory memory store to short-term memory store?
      Attention and recoding process
    • How does information transfer from STM to LTM store?
      Elaborative rehearsal
    • How does information transfer from LTM to STM?
      Retrieval
    • How does information stay in the STM?
      Maintenance rehearsal
    • How is information lost in the sensory memory store?
      Decay
    • How is information lost in the STM store?
      Decay (fading over time) and displacement (pushed out by new information)
    • How is information forgotten in LTM store?
      Decay, interference and retrieval failure
    • What is research support of the multi-store model of memory?
      Research shows that each one (sensory register, STM and LTM) have different ways of encoding information, different durations and different capacities. This supports the assumption by the multi store model that our STM and LTM are separate stores
    • What is a criticism of the multi-store model?

      Overstating the role of rehearsal in moving information from the STM to the LTM. Sometimes we remember things just because they are meaningful and the MSM cannot account for this as it states we have to rehearse to move information to the LTM. Additionally, we rehearse some information over and over and it is still forgotten, something the MSM cannot account for.
    • What is the K.F case study?
      K.F suffered brain damage from a motorcycle accident that damaged his short-term memory. K.F's impairment was mainly for verbal information - his memory for visual information was largely unaffected. They found that K.F's digit span was very poor when they read digits aloud to him (2 items) but when he read them himself it increased to the typical amount 7 +/- 2. This suggests that there must be at least two STM stores - one to store auditory information and one to store visual information.
    • How is the K.F case study a weakness of MSM?
      As the MSM states that STM is a unitary store, it cannot explain why some areas of STM may be okay whilst others are damaged.
    • What was the purpose of H.M.'s brain surgery in 1953?
      To alleviate severe symptoms of epilepsy
    • What was removed during H.M.'s brain surgery?
      The hippocampus
    • What side effect did H.M. experience after the surgery?
      Serious and debilitating memory impairment
    • How was H.M.'s digit span affected?
      It was normal
    • What could H.M. not do with new information?
      Transfer it into long-term memory
    • What did H.M. forget as soon as he read it?
      Current affairs news
    • Who could H.M. remember?
      People he had known for a long time
    • What ability did H.M. retain after his surgery?
      Learning new motor skills
    • How did H.M. demonstrate his ability to learn new motor skills?
      By becoming faster at solving a drawn maze
    • What was notable about H.M.'s learning of new motor skills?
      It was subconscious; he did not remember doing it
    • How does the H.M case study support MSM?
      • Supports the assumption that LTM and STM are separate stores as H.M damaged his STM but his STM but his LTM was not affected
    • How does the H.M case study go against the MSM?
      Only the part of his LTM was damaged related to transferring new information, he could still use long term memories related to learnt motor skills and people he had known for a long time. This indicated there is more than one long-term memory which the MSM cannot explain
    • What are primary effects?
      The first items in a list are remembered better than items in the middle
    • What are recency effects?
      The last items in a list are remembered better than items in the middle, if tested immediately. This primary-recency or serial position effect is evidence for the MSM as it shows the STM and LTM are separate and demonstrates support for both rehearsal to transfer to the LTM and the displacement of items in the STM.
    • What are strengths of the MSM?
      • Primary and recency effects suggest STM and LTM exist and are separate
      • Baddeley's research into acoustic and semantic coding shows STM and LTM are separate.
      • Case studies - HM shows STM and LTM are separate
      • Lots of evidence to support different types of memory - STM and LTM
    • What are limitations of MSM?
      • Rehearsal does not always lead to storage and storage occurs without rehearsal
      • Some argue it is too simplistic by showing only one LTM and STM - could be more than one storage in STM or LTM
      • Focuses too much on structure and not processes
      • Bahrick says recognising is easier than free recall which suggests that there may be different types of store within LTM
      • Only considers rehearsal as a factor affecting storage information not any others e.g. chunking, rhythmic grouping
    • Retrieval failure
      When material is stored in the LTM but cannot be consciously recalled as a lack of retrieval cues
    • Interference
      When similar information is confused
    • Proactive Interference
      When past memories inhibit an individual's full potential to retain new memories