Multi-store model of memory

Question 1

Who proposed MSM?

Answer 1

Atkinson and Shiffrin

Question 2

What does MSM explain?

Answer 2

• How memory is processed
• Explains the capacity, encoding and duration of each component

Question 3

Explain the first store - SR

Answer 3

• Includes the 5 sensors that pick up information and encodes it in its modal form
• Unlimited capacity
• Information lasts for 0.5s if not attended to

Question 4

What happens to the info after going through the SR?
-Encodes…

Answer 4

Flows into **STM acoustically **which:
- Has limited capacity
- Can hold **5-9 pieces **of information as proposed by Miller
- **Duration is 30s **and info isn’t rehearsed it will decay

Question 5

When info is rehearsed in STM it…
- Encodes…

Answer 5

Flows semantically into LTM which:
- Has unlimited capacity and duration
- Information can be retrieved from LTM back into STM
- Information can be lost if there’s decay/interference from other memories

Question 6

CREDIBILITY:
- Peterson and Peterson

Answer 6

Study on STM
- Using trigrams and found that recall dropped significantly between 3-18 secs : proving that non-rehearsed information decays up to 30s
- Negative: Lacks ecological validity
- Strength: Made participants do a counting task in between to prevent rehearsal

Question 7

CREDIBILITY:
- Clive Wearing

Answer 7

Supports not only the STM duration but the link between the hippocampus and the transfer from STM to LTM
- He loses all information after 30s after his hippocampus was damaged

Question 8

OBJECTION:
- Shalice and Wallington - KF

Answer 8

**Report a victim who suffered from brain damage from a motorbike accident, affecting his STM
- Couldn’t remember info. verbally but visually therefore suggesting that STM isn’t just encoded acoustically but it’s far more complex than a single storage unit
- KF supports WMM therefore MSM is too simplistic

Question 9

DIFFERENCE:
-MSM and WMM

Answer 9

• WMM includes the phonological loop, where information is picked up by the Articulatory Loop and the third store being the Visuospatial Sketchpad
• This is supported by the dual tasks that proves we can do tasks using each store seperately at the same time

Question 10

APPLICATION:
- MSM is…

Answer 10

• Too simplistic
• Very useful for students studying for exams and linking revision to rehearsal
• Revision cards, mind maps give semantic meaning
• This helps people with Alzheimers e.g writing info. down

Question 11

CONCLUSION

Answer 11

MSM is the first model introduced
- Has basic information of how memory is processed
- Led to further research and development such as WMM