L2: The multi-store model of memory

• Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968; 1971) came up with the multi-store model of memory (MSM).
• The three components of the multi-store model of memory are:

  1. sensory register
  2. short term memory
  3. long term memory
• Sensory register

  • has stores for each sense (e.g. iconic = visual info coded visually; echoic = auditory info coded acoustically)
  • duration is limited; less than 1/2 a second
  • high capacity (e.g., over 100 million cells in eye each storing data)

  Very little info passes from SR to STM; need to pay attention
• Short-term memory

  • limited capacity store; 7+/-2 items (but research suggests it's closer to 5 items than 9)
  • info coded acoustically; lasts abt. 30 secs unless rehearsed]
• Maintenance rehearsal: when we repeat info to ourselves over and over to keep it in short-term memory.

  • info kept in STM as long as it's rehearsed

  If rehearsed long enough -> passed into LTM
• Long-term memory

  • permanent store for rehearsed info
  • duration - up to a lifetime
  • info encoded semantically (Baddeley 1966)
• Info has to be transferred from LTM to STM for recall by retrieval

  • applies to all memories - none of our memories are recalled directly from LTM
• One strength of the MSM is that it has strong research support.

  • evidence: Baddeley found we mix up acoustically similar words in STM; semantically similar in LTM
  • explain: clearly shows the different memory stores have different methods of coding (STM - acoustic; LTM - semantic). Supports the MSM view that STM and LTM are separate and independent.
  • link: strength - research support b/c high reliability.
• One weakness of MSM is that it suggests there is only one type of STM

  • evidence: Shallice and Warrington (1970) studied Patient KF - found KF's digit span was poor when read aloud; better when he read them to himself. Suggests there could be a non-verbal STM
  • explain: weakness b/c research shows there must be separate STMs - one visual, one auditory. these are included in the working memory model
  • link: weakness - unitary view of STM b/c it shows MSM doesn't explain all STM aspects (not universal explanation)
• Another weakness of the MSM is that it doesn't explain all types of rehearsal.

  • evidence: Craik and Watkins (1973) found type of rehearsal is more important than amount of rehearsal - MR doesn't transfer info to LTM; maintains it in STM
  • Elaborative rehearsal needed for long-term storage.
  • explain: weakness b/c this is more research the MSM can't explain.
  • link: weakness - more than one rehearsal type b/c low explanatory power. The MSM fails to consider different rehearsal types.