the MSM- evaluation Flashcards
strength of the MSM
in Murdocks study it gives a good understanding of the structure and process of the STM. His theory supports the MSM because his graph showed the serial position curve which indicates the existence of 2 memory stores (LTM and STM). The curve showed that due to the recency effect we can recall words heard most recently due to storing them in our STM. Also the primary effect is shown at the start of the curve as it shows how words heard first have been rehearsed and stored in LTM.
limitation of MSM
it is oversimplified, which is shown by Shallice and Warington who studied KF’s who had amnesia. KF’s STM for digits was poor when they were read to him, but when reading them out to himself he could remember and recall them easier. Further studies of KF and others with similar brain issues, showed that there has to be another STM store in which we can use to remember non-verbal sounds (e.g. noises). This evidence suggests that the MSM is incorrect for assuming there is only one STM store processing different types of information (e.g. visual & auditory). However a further limitation is that KF is only one person and nobody else will suffer from the exact same brain damage and issues. Therefore this case study is ungeneralisable.
