MSMOM SR

Question 1

what is the multi-store model of memory?

Answer 1

-devised by Atkinson & Shiffrin 1968
-first cognitive explanation of memory
-sees information flowing through a series of storage systems

Question 2

what is the sensory register?

Answer 2

-an automatic response to the reception of sensory information by the sense organs, and the first storage system of the MSMOM

Question 3

what is the coding of the SR?

Answer 3

-info is stored in its raw, unprocessed form, separate sensory stores for each sensory input
-echoic store (auditory info)
-iconic store (visual info)
-haptic store (Tactile info)
-gustatory store (taste info)
-olfactory store (smell info)
-info that is paid attention to goes to the STM, the rest fades quickly though trace decay

Question 4

research on the coding of the SR

Answer 4

-Crowder 1993 - SR only retains info in the iconic store for a few milliseconds, but for 2-3 seconds in the echoic store, supporting the idea of different sensory stores

Question 5

evaluate the coding of the SR

Answer 5

-after-images of visual events provide good evidence of sensory memories (eg light trails)
-sensory memory stores consist of several sub-stores eg visible persistence

Question 6

what is the capacity of the SR?

Answer 6

very large
-unprocessed, highly detailed and ever-changing format

Question 7

research on the capacity of the SR

Answer 7

-Sperling 1960 - 3x4 grid of letters, flashed for 1/20 of a second, asked to recall a row, recall was high, suggesting all the info was there so capacity is large

Question 8

evaluate the capacity of the SR

Answer 8

-calculating capacity involves patients having to evaluate cues that suggest a change in random wave patterns, which only provide estimates and lack mundane realism
-evidence that the iconic store can hold 15-20 images, but other stores capacity’s aren’t well studied as it’s very brief

Question 9

what’s the duration of the SR?

Answer 9

limited, changes for each store, some evidence that duration decreases with age

Question 10

research on the duration of the SR

Answer 10

-Walsh & Thompson 1978 - iconic store has a duration of 500 milliseconds, which decreases with age

Question 11

evaluate the duration of the SR

Answer 11

-the brief duration of sensory memories seems to be because of their physical traces (engrams) fading quickly , suggesting a biological explanation