The Multi-Store of Memory

• Coding


  the process of changing information from the environment to store it in memory.
• Capacity


  the amount of information that can be stored
• Duration


  the time period that information is held in the memory stores
• What is the Sensory register store?

  A store that is constantly getting information from all our senses. The information is quickly discarded or transferred to short-term memory
• What are the two types of memory in the sensory register store?

  Iconic Memory: Visual Stimuli

  
  

  Echoic Memory: Auditory Stimuli
• What is the duration of the sensory register?

  250 milliseconds
• What is the capacity of the sensory register?

  large (all sensory experiences that we encounter in our day-to-day life).
• What is the coding of the sensory register?


  specific to each sense
• What is short term memory?

  the point of processing sensory memory. This then determines whether information is moved into long-term memory or not.
• What is the duration of the STM?

  18-30 seconds
• What is the capacity of STM?

  seven +/- two items
• what is the coding of STM?

  primarily acoustic
• what is the duration of LTM?

  unlimited
• What is long term memory?

  refers to unlimited storage information to be maintained for long periods, even for life
• what is the capacity of LTM?

  unlimited
• What is the coding of LTM?

  primarily semantic
• How does Glanzer & Cunitz's study (1966) (The Serial Position Effect) show support for the MSM?


  Participants were given a list of common words to memorise. They were then asked to recall as many as possible.

  
  

  Participants remembered more words from the beginning of the list (primary) because they had been transferred by rehearsal to the long-term memory. Words at the end of the list were still in the short-term memory (recency). This known as the serial position effect. This supports the theory that the STM and LTM are separate stores
• What are the limitations on the Serial Position Effect?

  Lacks ecological validity – not how we use memory in everyday life.
• How does Korsakoff’s syndrome support the MSM?


  Chronic alcoholics sometimes develop Korsakoff’s syndrome, which causes brain damage.

  
  

  However, it has little effect on STM, but severely impairs LTM. This suggests that STM and LTM are stored in different areas of the brain. This provides further evidence to support the multistore model of memory.
• What are the strengths of the MSM?

  • Researchers agree that the short-term memory and long-term memory are two distinct stores with supporting research showing information needs rehearsal and both stores have different capacity and duration.

  
  

  • The model was the first to provide a testable basis for further research into memory. This is done through various methods with much research agreeing on the MSM and its principles.

  
  

  • Much evidence comes from lab studies meaning they are reliable and can be replicated. Therefore, we can trust it making the model more valid.
• What did Logie (1999)n state about LTM and STM?

  stated that the short-term memory relies on long term memory so therefore the STM cannot come first. You can recall through meaning, and this is stored in the LTM
• Weaknesses of the MSM

  • Some research into STM duration has low ecological validity, e.g. Peterson and Peterson (1959) used nonsense trigrams such as ‘XQF’ to investigate STM duration.
  • The model is over-simplified, as evidence suggests that there are multiple short and long-term memory stores, e.g. ‘LTM’ can be split into Episodic, Procedural and Semantic memory.
  • It is only assumed that LTM has an unlimited capacity, as research has been unable to measure this accurately
• Jacobs (1887)

  • Studied capacity of STM
  • Using digit span and letter
  • found number of capacity was 9.3 for digits and 7.3 for letters
• Strengths of Jacobs (1887) study


  • lab study
  • standardised procedures
  • sample of different ages
• Weaknesses of Jacob (1887) study


  • lacks ecological validity
  • age difference may affect quality of memory
  • some patients may have memory impairments: medical issues/brain damage
• Miller (1956)


  • studied the capcity of stm
  • Used dots o screen. Test how much can be rememberedfound magic number of 7 +/- 2
• Strengths of Miller (1956)


  supported by psychological research
• Weaknesses of Miller (1956)


  • Did not consider other factors that affect capacity. For example, age could also affect short-term memory
  • He did not specify how large each ‘chunk’ of information could be and therefore we are unable to conclude the exact capacity of short-term memory
• Peterson and Peterson (1959)


  • studied duration of STM
  • used Consonant Syllables along with a 3-digit number
  • Found STM has a duration of less than 18 seconds. 90% were correct after 3 seconds 2% after 18-30 seconds
• bahrick et al (1975)

  • studied duration of LTM
  • Sample of 400 people recalling classmates from yearbook
  • Given photos, 70% were able to recall names after 48 years. Without phots only 30% were able to recall
• evaluation of peterson and peterson (1959)

  
  

  
  

  STRENGTH:

  -        Good control of variables - because of the laboratory setting.

  
  

  
  

  WEAKNESS:

  -        Low ecological validity - because of the artificial set-up.

  -        Lacking variety of stimulus - no data on whether the type of stimulus affects the duration of the short-term memory.
• strengths of bahrick (1975)


  -        The study was standardised and can easily be replicated, it presents high reliability.

  
  

  
  

  -        Baddeley used interference tasks to make sure that he was actually measuring long-term memories. This, in turn, increases the internal validity of the findings.
• weaknesses of bahrick (1975)


  -       Low Ecological Validity due to it being in an artificial environment

  -        there are different forms of long-term memory that were not examined:

  -        Additionally, there is another form of coding, (visual coding), which was not tested either.
• baddeley (1966)


  • studied coding effects of STM and LTM
  • tested Acoustically and semantically similar words
  • Participants had difficulty remembering acoustically similar words easier in LTM. Semantically similar was easier to remember in STM
• strengths of baddely (1966)

  -        The study was standardised and can easily be replicated, it presents high reliability.

  -        Baddeley used interference tasks to make sure that he was actually measuring long-term memories. This, in turn, increases the internal validity of the findings.
• weaknesses of baddely (1966)


  -        Lacks Ecological Validity due to it being in an artificial environment

  -        there are different forms of long-term memory that were not examined:

  -        Additionally, there is another form of coding, (visual coding), which was not tested either.