Multi-store model (MSM) Flashcards
(8 cards)
What is Atkinson and Shiffrin’s MSM?
-A representation of how memory worsk in terms of 3 stores, sensory registers, STM and LTM.
-Explains how data is transferred between each store
What is the a)role, b)duration c) capacity of the sensory register?
a)All stimuli from the environment pass into sensory register
b)Duration = very brief- half a second
c) Capacity = very high, 100+m cells in each eye storing data
What is the coding of sensory registers (SRs)
-Depends on the sense
-Echoic memory = sound
-Iconic memory = visual
What is needed to pass data from SRs further into memory system?
-Need to pay attention to the data from SRs
How does information from STM go into LTM?
-Maintenance rehearsal: repeating material in STM to ourselves over and over again keeps it in STM, and if done enough passes to LTM
According to MSM, what is done when information is recalled from LTM?
-Information from LTM has to be transferred back into ST by a process called retrieval
What are the strengths for MSM?
-Research Support: Alan Baddeley found that we tend to mix up words that are acoustically similar when using STM. But we mix up semantically similar when using LTMs. Further support from studies of capacity and duration. This shows that STM and LTM are separate independent memory stores claimed by MSM.
However, Studies that support MSM use artificial stimuli. E.g. consonat syllables by peterson and peterson in duration of STM. Therefore, MSM may not be valid of memory works in everyday life with meaningful information to be remembered.
What are the limitations for MSM?
-More than one STM store: Shallice and Warrington studied KF who had amnesia. KF’s STM for digits was poor when they were read out to him but recall was much better when he read the digits himself. This shows that evidence suggests MSM is wrong in claiming just one type of STM store processing different types of info.
-Elaborative rehearsal: prolonged rehearsal not needed transfer to LTM. According to MSM, the amount of rehearsal is necessary. Contrasting research by Craik and Watkins found the type of rehearsal more important - Elaborative rehearsal is needed for LT storage: thinking about what it means. This means info can be transferred to LTM without prolonged rehearsal. Therefore MSM does not fully explain how LTM storage is achieved.