Atkinson-Shiffrin multi store model of memory

Question 1

what is memory

Answer 1

the process of encoding, storing and retrieving information that has been acquired through learning

Question 2

WHAT DO MODELS OF memory share in common

Answer 2

all models typically refer to memory as involving three fundamental processes being encoding, retrieval and storage

Question 3

encoding

Answer 3

conversion of sensory information into a useable form so that it can be neurologically represented and stored in the brain

Question 4

storage

Answer 4

retention of the encoded information over time

Question 5

retrieval

Answer 5

recovery of stored information for use when needed

Question 6

atkinson-shiffrin multi store model of memory

Answer 6

model considers memory as a system of three distinct stores (sensory memory, short term memory, long term memory) which interact to encode, store and retrieve information

Question 7

theory definition

Answer 7

a proposition or set of principles used to explain something or make predictions about cause and effect

Question 8

main function of a theory

Answer 8

explain and predict

Question 9

theories are informed by

Answer 9

scientific research or logic

Question 10

model definition

Answer 10

a representation of a concept, process or behaviour, often made to simplify or make something easier to understand

Question 11

main function of a model

Answer 11

simplify and represent

Question 12

model is informed by

Answer 12

scientific theories and ideas

Question 13

what occurs in sensory memory

Answer 13

it is the entry point for memory as all information that is later stored must first detected by senses, very breifly stores this information as an exact replica of your environment (not encoded into a form recognised by the brain) we are not conciously aware of of it. only info that is attended to is transferred to our short term memory, info that isn’t attended to it lost

Question 14

capacity of sensory memory

Answer 14

unlimited but wo do not pay attention to all of this info to become conciously aware of it

Question 15

duration of sensory memory

Answer 15

breif, varies between 0.2-0.4 seconds

Question 16

two types of sensory registers

Answer 16

iconic memory = visual information, auditory information = echoic memory

Question 17

short term memory

Answer 17

where all concious learning, percieving, feeling, thinking and other mental processes take place, information is being actively manipulated and can come from both your sesnory and long term memory

Question 18

how does short term memory recieve info from sensory memory

Answer 18

via attention, information that is being paid attention to will move to your STM

Question 19

how does short term memory recieve info from long term memory

Answer 19

via retrieval, which is retrieving info from LTM and moving it into concious awareness to s=exist within STM

Question 20

STM is aka

Answer 20

working memory

Question 21

capacity of Short term memory

Answer 21

limited capacity, 5-9 items that can be worked on at a given time, however this can be increased/manipulated via chunking

Question 22

duration of short term memory

Answer 22

limited duration, 18-30 s but usually doesn’t exceed 20s, but can be manipulated through rehersal

Question 23

manipulation is short term memory

Answer 23

involves updating, adding or changing the info in some way, also involves the process of rehersal

Question 24

rehersal in short term memory

Answer 24

information is repeated or linked to other pieces of info that were previously learnt, helping to encode info from STM into long term memory

Question 25

if info from STM is not encoded into LTM where does it go

Answer 25

it is either pushed out by incoming info (displacement) or fade away on its own after the duration of STM has expired (decay)

Question 26

chunking

Answer 26

a process of combining small pieces of info into larger groups of info (chunks), chunks are more meaningful, increases capacity of STM

Question 27

types of rehersal

Answer 27

maintenance rehersal or elaborative rehearsal

Question 28

maintenance rehearsal

Answer 28

rote repetition or the repetition of info repeatedly, does not involve changing or adding new meaning to the info. effective in retaining info in stm

Question 29

elborative rehearsal

Answer 29

most effective process of transferring infp to long term memory, involves linking and organising new info with existing info already in storage in a meaningful way

Question 30

capacity of long term memory

Answer 30

potentially unlimited amount of info

Question 31

duration of long term memory

Answer 31

relativelty permanent

Question 32

long term memort

Answer 32

stores all the info you retain from past events as well as your knowledge of facts, this info is further processed into different types of LTM and organised in different parts of the brain, the info is not in concious awareness

Question 33

can we always retrieve info from ltm

Answer 33

no sometimes we are unable to as we may be unaware of how to retrieve it or are not prompted by the right retrieval cues

Question 34

strengths of the Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory

Answer 34

distinguishes the different stores involved in memory, outlines that each memory store has a different capacity and duration, provides a good understanding of the structure and process of memory, supports the distinction between STM and LTM (e.g help explain why amnesia patients have difficulty retrieving memories from LTM or encoding info from STM to LTM)

Question 35

limitations of the Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory

Answer 35

may be considered oversimplified, STM is more complex than the model suggests (not a singular store rather encompasses different components within it). ignores factors such as motivation and strategy which may assist encoding, rehersal is not necessary for transferring info into LTM, model does not account for individual differences in memory processes, storage duration and capacity