Multi-store model of memory

• Atkinson and Shiffrin’s multi-store model describes how information flows through memory. It is a structural model stating that the Sensory Register, Short-Term Memory (STM) and Long-Term Memory (LTM) are separate unitary stores, and that information flows through the system in a linear way.
• > A stimulus from the environment will pass to the sensory register. This part has several stores and coding in each store is modality specific. The two main stores are echoic and iconic

  > Information passes from the sensory register to the STM only if attention is paid.

  > If maintenance rehearsal occurs it can increase the length of time the information is held in the STM. If the information is rehearsed enough, it will pass to the LTM.

  > LTM is a potentially permanent store if info has been rehearsed for a prolonged time
• AO3 -

  :) RTS LTM and STM as unitary stores - Baddeley

  :) Clive Wearing

  DISSCUSSION low population validity

  :( too simplistic - patient KF
• Multi-store model of memory -

  > The multi-store model of memory: sensory register, short-term memory, and long-term memory

  > Features of each store: coding, capacity, and duration.
• Multi-store model AO3

  :) Studies show separate unitary stores

  > Baddeley found that participants mixed up words that sound similar when using their STM but mixed-up words that have similar meanings when using their LTM

  > This study clearly suggests that coding in STM is acoustic and coding in LTM is semantic

  > Supports the view that the STM and LTM were separate stores
• Multi-store model AO3

  :) Clive Wearing

  > Suffers from amnesia in which he cannot transfer information into his STM to his LTM

  > Greets his wife as if it is the first time he has seen her in years

  > Shows the LTM and STM are separate stores and that information must flow in a linear way
• Multi-store model A03

  :( Too simplistic

  > Patient KF, suffered from amnesia

  > Recall was poor when digits were read aloud to him but recall was better when he could read the digits himself

  > Meaning there must be different stores within the STM