The multi-store model

avatar
Created by
Alice Roberts

Cards (7)

  • The multi-store model (MSM)
    Atkinson and Shiffrin's MSM describes how info flows through the memory system. Made up by 3 stores linked by processing
  • The MSM 2
    Sensory register
    Stimulus from the environment pass into one of 5 stores (for each sense). Two main= iconic (visual info is coded visually), echoic (auditory info is coded acoustically). Duration is less than half a second. High capacity. Very little passes further unless you pay attention to it.
  • The MSM 3
    Shot-term memory (STM)
    Capacity is on average 7 +/- 2. Info is coded acoustically and lasts about 30 seconds unless rehearsed. Maintenance rehearsal occurs when we repeat material over and over again. Can keep info in STM as long as we rehearse it. Rehearse long enough, passes into LTM.
  • The MSM 4
    Long-term memory (LTM)
    Potentially permanent memory store for info that has been rehearsed for a long time. Capacity believed to be unlimited. LTMs tend to be coded semantically. Although material is stored in LTM, when we want to recall it, it has to be transferred back to STM by a process called retrieval
  • The MSM- evaluation
    Supported by research studies that show that STM and LTM are qualitatively diff. Baddeley's study shows that coding in STM is acoustic and in LTM it is semantic, which supports that the stores are separate and independent.
  • The MSM- evaluation 2
    States the STM is a unitary store, however studies into people suffering from amnesia shows this can't be true. Shallice and Warrington (1970) studied KF. Found that STM for digits was poor for digits when read out loud but recalled better when he could read them himself. Shows that there must be at least one ST store for processing visual info and another for auditory info. (included in WMM)
  • The MSM- evaluation 3
    Cannot explain all research. According to MSM, what matters in rehearsal is the amount you do. But Craik and Watkins (1973) found that what matters is type. Elaborative rehearsal needed for long term storage (occurs when you link info to existing knowledge)