Miller (1956) and MSMM

Question 1

Declarative memory

Answer 1

(“Knowing what”) memory of facts and events and refers that can be consciously recalled.

Question 2

Episodic memory

Answer 2

Memories of specific events that occurred in a given time in a given place

Question 3

Semantic memory

Answer 3

Memories of facts and events e.g paris is the capital of France

Question 4

Procedural memory

Answer 4

(“Knowing how”) Unconscious memory of how to do things

Question 5

Identify the 4 different types of memory

Answer 5

Declarative memory
Episodic memory
Semantic memory
Procedural memory

Question 6

The Multi-Store Memory Model (MSMM)

Answer 6

Environment: Input
Information from the environment (e.g., sights, sounds, words) enters the system.

Sensory Memory
Duration: Very brief (milliseconds to a few seconds)
Capacity: Very large
Encoding: Sense-specific (e.g., iconic for visual, echoic for auditory)
If attention is paid, the information is transferred to short-term memory.

Short-Term Memory (STM)
Duration: About 15–30 seconds
Capacity: 7 ± 2 items
Information here can be:
Recalled directly.
Rehearsed to maintain it in STM.
Transferred to Long-Term Memory through rehearsal.

Rehearsal Loop
Repeating information over and over helps retain it in STM and increases the chance of transfer to LTM.

Long-Term Memory (LTM)
Duration: Potentially lifelong with an unlimited capacity
Information can be retrieved back into STM for recall.

Question 7

AIM

Answer 7

To investigate the capacity of short-term memory and determine how much information it can hold.

Question 8

Procedure

Answer 8

Participants were tested with lists of words to determine how many they can remember. Once shown the list they were asked to recall as many as possible right after the learning phase.

Question 9

Results

Answer 9

Miller found that the capacity of short-term memory is about 7 ± 2 items

Question 10

Limitations

Answer 10

Overgeneralization
The “7 ± 2” rule may not apply to everyone. Later studies (e.g., Cowan, 2001) suggest STM capacity is closer to 4 chunks, especially when rehearsal is not allowed.

Lack of Control & Standardization
As a review article, Miller’s paper compiled various studies, not a single controlled experiment. This makes it hard to assess the methodological rigor or replicability of the findings.