The Multi-Store Model of Memory

Question 1

What’s the multi-store model and who made it?

Answer 1

• The multi-store model was created by Atkinson and Shiffin (1968,1971)
• It describes how information flows through the memory system

Question 2

What are the components of the MSM?

Answer 2

• Sensory register made up of iconic and echoic stores
• STM
  -LTM

Question 3

What is the sensory register?

Answer 3

• All stimulus from the environment passes through the sensory register and is sorted into different registers/stores
• Store for coding visual information is the iconic memory
  -Store for coding acoustically is echonic memory
• Duration is less than half a second but has a very high capacity
• Infomation only passes into memory system if you pay attention to it

Question 4

What’s the STM in the MSM?

Answer 4

• A memory store coded mainly acoustically that lasts about 18 seconds unless rehearsed
• Capacity is between 5 or 9 items
• Maintenance rehearsal occurs when we repeat information to ourselves to keep it in our STM or transfer it to our LTM

Question 5

What’s LTM in the MSM?

Answer 5

• A memory store that is coded semantically
• Duration can be up to a lifetime (Bahrick et al 1975)
• When we want to recall information from the LTM it has to be transferred back into the STM by retrieval

Question 6

Who is patient HM?

Answer 6

• HM underwent brain surgery for epilepsy however it wasn’t fully understood so part of his hippocampus was removed
• This is the center of memory function
• He could not form new LTM memories however he measured well on an STM test
• This supports the MSM saying there a different stores of memory

Question 7

What’s a strength of the MSM?

Answer 7

• Research support shows that STM and LTM are separate stores e.g Baddeley’s (1966) capacity research shows difference in how we remember information between stores so reliable use

Question 8

What are 2 limitations of the MSM?

Answer 8

• Shallice and Warrington (1970) studied patient KF who had amnesia and his STM for digits was very poor when they were real aloud for him but it was a lot better when he read them himself - suggests multiple STM stores not shown on the MSM so lower reliability
• Prolonged rehearsal not needed for transfer to LTM - Watkins (1973) found that elaborative rehearsal is needed where you link information to previous knowledge in order to remember - low reliability