Memory Flashcards
What is the Multi-Store model of memory?
This model was made by Atkinson & Shiffrin (1986).
The model proposes three stages of memory, each with different characteristics: Sensory, Short-term and Long-term.
How does the Multi-Store model work?
1) Information is stored in the sensory memory for less than a second.
2) Then if it’s attended to, it flows to the short-term memory, which has a duration of up to 20 seconds.
3) If it’s rehearsed, it is encoded in the long-term memory which has an unlimited duration.
4) Information can be retrieved from the long-term memory and brought back to the short-term memory.
5) Information can be recalled from the short-term memory and brought back into the conscious mind.
The rehearsal loop stores up to 9 items of information.
What is the encoding, duration and capacity of sensory memory?
Encoding: sense-specific
Duration: 0.5 seconds
Capacity: limited to 1 sensation
What is the encoding, duration and capacity of short-term memory?
Encoding: mainly acoustic
Duration: 15-30 seconds
Capacity: up to 9
What is the encoding, duration and capacity of long-term memory?
Encoding: mainly semantic
Duration: unlimited
Capacity: unlimited
What research is there for MSM?
Glanzer & Cunitz (1966) did a study into forgetting.
Asked to recall a list of words in any order, participants tended to recall more from the beginning/end of the list and fewer from the middle. This is the primacy/recency effect. It happens because primacy words are well-rehearsed and encoded in LTM, recency words are still in the Rehearsal Loop; middle words are displaced by recency words because of the limited capacity of STM.
How can MSM be applied to the real world?
Clive Wearing received brain damage to his hippocampus after a viral infection. Clive Wearing could still use his STM to remember things for about 20 seconds but then he would forget everything – he could not “make new memories”. The Multi Store Model can be applied to his case, because it suggests an inability to rehearse information into LTM.
How is the MSM credible?
MSM is credible because it is supported by case studies of people like H.M. and Clive Wearing. Because of brain damage, these people have amnesia and cannot make new memories. MSM suggests they fail to rehearse information from STM to LTM.
What are some objections to the MSM?
Although H.M. and Clive Wearing seem to back up the Multi Store Model, other evidence contradicts it. Shallice & Warrington (1970) report a victim of a motorbike accident (K.F.) who could still add memories to LTM even though his STM was so damaged he couldn’t repeat back more than 2 digits. MSM cannot explain this but K.F.’s unusual condition does support the Working Memory Model.
What are some differences of the MSM?
The Multi Store Model can be compared to Working Memory (Baddeley & Hitch, 1974). Working Memory replaces STM in the model and provides a more detailed explanation of rehearsal and retrieval from LTM. It is considered to be an improvement and a refinement on the Multi Store Model.
How is the MSM applicable?
If you are an eyewitness then you need to pay close attention to encode information in STM. You then need to rehearse it. Repeating the information over and over works, but Elaborative Rehearsal is better because it encodes information semantically.
What is the Working memory model?
It was developed by Baddeley & Hitch (1974).
It consists of three separate components: central executive, phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad.
How does the WMM work?
Within Working Memory, one memory system handles sound (Phonological Loop) and another handles vision (VisuoSpatial Sketchpad).
These two “slave systems” are managed by the Central Executive inside your head, organising your memories.
What does the Central Executive do?
It allocates memories to the slave systems. It retrieves information from the 5 senses or from LTM and assigns it to the Loop or the VSSP for processing. It has a limited capacity.
What does the phonological loop do?
Consists of two parts: the articulatory process and the phonological store.
Articulatory process - rehearses information verbally (inner-voice) and has a duration of about 2 seconds. Used to mentally rehearse information.
Phonological store - uses a sound-based code to rehearse information but lasts about 2 seconds. Information is received either directly from the ears or from LTM.
