the multi store model of memory Flashcards
what is the multi store model of memory?
RICHARD ATKINSON AND RICHARD SHIFFRIN; 1968-71. a representation of how memory works in terms of three stores called the sensory register, short term memory and long term memory. it also describes how info is transferred from one store to another, how it is remembered and how it is forgotten.
what is the sensory register?
a stimulus from the environment will pass into the sensory register. the sensory register is the memory stores for each of our five senses. the two main stores are iconic memory (visual) and echoic memory (acoustic).
duration and capacity of sensory register
duration - less than half a second
capacity - high
shifting from sensory register to STM
if a persons attention is focused on one of the sensory stores, then data is transferred to STM. attention is the first step in remembering something.
the short term memory store and shifting into LTM
limited capacity store. maintenance rehearsal occurs when we rehearse material to ourselves repeatedly, thus can be kept in STM. if rehearsed long enough, it passes into LTM store.
the long term memory store
the potential permanent memory store for information that has been rehearsed for a prolonged time. although this material is in the LTM, when we want to recall it, it has to be transferred back into STM by a process called retrieval.
according to the MSM, this is true of all our memories. none of them are recalled directly from LTM.
strength
evaluating the multi store model of memory
point
the MSM stands on a solid foundation of empirical evidence, particularly from controlled laboratory studies investigating capacity, duration, and coding. these studies consistently demonstrate the existence of distinct short- and long-term memory stores, forming the core basis of the MSM.
evidence for distinct stm and ltm stores
evidence
advancements in brain imaging techniques have provided further support, revealing neurobiological disparities between STM and LTM tasks. for instance, Beardsley (1997) identified differential cortical activation patterns during STM and LTM activities, while Squire et al. (1992) highlighted the role of the hippocampus in LTM processes.
evidence for distinct stm and ltm stores
extra evidence
such findings bolster the MSM’s premise of separate memory systems.
additionally, research by Baddeley underscores the qualitative divergence between STM and LTM, expressing distinct coding mechanisms – acoustic for STM and semantic for LTM.
