2. The multi-store model of memory

• Atikinson and Schiffrin (1968 - 1971) - AO1


  Developed the multi-store model of memory
• The multi-store model of memory (MSM) - AO1

  - A representation of how memory works in terms of 3 stores. The sensory register, short term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM). It also describes how information is transferred from one store to another. How some memories last and some disappear.
• Sensory register - AO1

  - Memory store for each for the five senses

  - Coding from each store is modality-specific (depends on the sense)

  - Capacity - huge

  - Duration - less than half a seconds

  - e.g. Vision - ionic store - therefore coding is visual

  - e.g. Hearing - echoic store - therefore coding is acoustic (sounds)
• Short term memory - STM - AO1

  - Coding - mainly acoustic (sounds)

  - Capacity - limited-capacity store - 7+-2 (Miller) - 5 - (Cowan)

  - Duration - less than 18 seconds
• Maintenance rehearsal - AO1

  When we repeat/rehearse material over and over again. We keep this information in our long-term memory as we rehearse it. If we rehearse it long enough it passes into out LTM.
• Long term memory - LTM - AO1

  - Coding - semantically (meaning)

  - Duration - lifetime

  - Capacity - Unlimited
• Retrieval - AO1


  - When information in LTM can be transferred back to the STM
• Research support - AO3

  - Baddley (1966) - supports the idea that the LTM and STM are different

  - Found that we tend to mix up semantically similar words (same meaning) when using out LTM

  - We mix up acoustically similar words (sound the same) when using our STM

  - Shows clearly that the STM and LTM are separate and independent memory stores
• CP to research support 😊- AO3

  - Most of these studies that support MSM do not use meaningful stimuli

  - Not related to things we need to remember in our everyday life - faces, names, and facts

  - Use digits and letters (Jacobs), words (Baddley) and constant syllables (Peterson and Peterson)

  - Most have no meaning to participant

  - MSM may not be a valid model for how memory works in our everyday lives
• More than one STM memory store 🙁- AO3

  - Shallice and Warrington (1970) - studies a client - KF - had amnesia

  - KF's STM for digits was poor when they were read out to him

  - Recall was much better when he read digits to himself

  - Other research suggests that there may be STM store for non-verbal sounds

  - MSM is wrong in claiming that there is one STM store that processes different types of information
• Elaborative rehearsal 🙁 - AO3


  - Prolonged rehearsal is needed to transfer LTM

  - According to MSM what matters is the amount of rehearsal - the more you rehearse the more likely information is going to be transferred to LTM

  - Craik and Watkins (1973) - found that elaborative rehearsal was more important

  - Linking information to your existing knowledge

  - MSM does not fully explain how LTM is achived.