The Multi-store model of memory

a representation of memory with tree stores

summary

* Atkinson and Shiffrin
* Made up of 3 different components: STM + LTM + sensory register
* Memories are formed sequentially and info passes from one component to the next

Sensory register

• Iconic and echoic stores

• very brief duration

• high capacity

• unprocessed coding that is modality specific

• Transfer to STM through attention

Short term memory

• Limited capacity- 7+-2

• Limited duration (18 seconds)

• Mainly acoustic coding

• Transfer to LTM by maintenance rehearsal

Long term memory

• Unlimited capacity and duration for lifetime

• permanent memory store

• Mainly semantic coding

• Back to STM through retrieval

More than one STM store ☹

• Studies of amnesia (e.g. KF) show auditory recall was better than visual

• MSM is wrong to claim just one STM store

Research support for different stores 🙂

• Baddeley found we mix up acoustically similar words

• But mix up semantically similar words when we use our LTMs

• Supports the view of the MSM that the two memory stores are independent