The multi-store model of memory

• The multi-store model (MSM) describes how information flows through the memory system. Memory is made of three stores linked to processing.
• The sensory register (SR) takes in stimuli from the environment. It has one store for each sense - five.

  1. Duration = very brief
  2. Capacity = high - over 100 million cells in each eye that store data
  3. Coding = depends on the sense
• Transfer from SR to STM - little information passes through, only when attention is payed to it
• Short term memory (STM) is a limited capacity and duration store.

  1. Duration = roughly 18-30 seconds, unless information is rehearsed.
  2. Capacity = 5-9 items
  3. Coding = acoustic
• Long term memory (LTM) is a permanent memory store, when we want to recall information from our LTM to our STM we have to go through a process called retrieval.

  1. Duration = up to a lifetime
  2. Capacity = unlimited
  3. Coding = semantic
• The transfer from STM to LTM - maintenance rehearsal occurs when we repeat information to ourselfs.