MSM

• Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) proposed the Multi-store model of memory (MSM). The model suggests that memory is made up of three separate stores linked by processing
• 1. environmental stimuli
  2. sensory register
  3. forgotten
  4. attention
  5. maintenance rehearsal
  6. short term memory
  7. forgotten
  8. consolidation
  9. retrieval
  10. long term memory
  11. forgotten

  
• sensory register -

  The sensory register stores info for our 5 senses e.g. vision (iconic store) and hearing (echoic store).

  Capacity: huge, can store millions of pieces of information

  Duration: Tiny: less than half a second

  Info passes further into the memory system only if you pay attention to it.
• STM -

  Coding: Acoustic

  Capacity: 7± 2

  Duration: 18 seconds

  Maintenance rehearsal occurs where we repeat info to ourselves. We can keep info in the STM if we repeat it and if we rehearse it enough, it passes into the LTM.
• LTM -

  Coding: Semantic

  Capacity: Unlimited

  Duration: Unlimited

  According to the MSM, when we want to recall info from the LTM, it has to be transferred back to the STM through retrieval.
• strength -

  When presented with a list of words, we tend to remember the first few words (primacy effect) and the last few words (recency effect).

  Supports the existence of separate LTM and STM

  
• strength -

  HM underwent brain surgery to relieve his epilepsy and part of his brain was removed. This led to him being unable to form new LTM’s however his STM was fine.

  Supports the existence of separate LTM and STM stores as HM’s LTM was affected, however his STM was not.
• weakness -

  Patient KF had amnesia and researchers found his STM for digits was very poor when they were read out loud to him, however when he read them to himself his STM was far better

  The model is oversimplified, particularly when it suggests that STM and LTM work in a single way and suggests there isn’t just one STM store.
• weakness -

  Rehearsal does not appear to be essential for info to enter the LTM; We are able to recall info we don’t rehearse (e.g. swimming) and not that which we have rehearsed (e.g. revising notes.)

  The model is oversimplified, and the role of rehearsal in transferring STM to LTM is less important than the MSM suggests.
• weakness -

  Recent research suggests Miller over-estimated the capacity of STM and argues it is more likely to be 4 items, not 5-9.

  This may reflects the outdated methodologies used by Miller and the lack of control, and suggests a slightly lower capacity of STM