IB Psychology Cognitive Approach Review

Multi-Store Model of Memory

The memory model that visualises memory as a system consisting of multiple memory stores and through which a stream of data flows for processing. Each memory store operates in a single, uniform way.

Multi-Store Model (MSM)

The Multi-Store Model (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968) describes memory as three separate stores: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). Information first enters sensory memory, then, if attended to, passes into STM. With rehearsal, it may transfer into LTM. Each store has different capacity and duration.

Multi Store Model Context

Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) provide evidence for this model. Participants were asked to recall word lists. Results showed a “primacy effect” (better recall of early words) and a “recency effect” (better recall of the last words). The primacy effect occurred because the first words were rehearsed into LTM, while the recency effect happened because the last words were still in STM. When a distractor task was added before recall, the recency effect disappeared, but the primacy effect remained.

Supporting

This supports the MSM’s claim that STM and LTM are separate systems. However, critics argue the MSM is too simplistic and doesn’t explain deeper processing or different memory types. Still, it was foundational for memory research.

Schema Theory

A branch of cognitive science concerned with how the brain structures knowledge. Schema (plural: schemas or schemata) is an organized unit of knowledge for a subject or event based on past experience.

Schema

A Schema is a cognitive framework or concept that helps us organize and interpret information. Simply, a schema describes patterns of thinking and behavior that people use to interpret the world.

Schema Introduction

Schema theory suggests that people use mental frameworks, called schemas, to organize and interpret information. These schemas come from prior experiences and knowledge, and they shape how we encode, store, and retrieve memories. This means memory is not a perfect copy of events but is reconstructive and can be influenced by expectations and culture.

Schema Context

One study that supports schema theory is Bartlett’s (1932) “War of the Ghosts” experiment. British participants read a Native American story and recalled it at different times later. Bartlett found that participants changed unfamiliar details to fit their cultural expectations — for example, “canoe” became “boat,” and “hunting seals” became “fishing.” The story became shorter and more conventional over time.

Supporting

This shows that memory is influenced by schemas, as participants unconsciously reconstructed the story to match what they already knew. While Bartlett’s study lacked strict experimental control, it remains an important demonstration of how schemas shape recall. Schema theory helps explain memory distortion and why eyewitness testimony is often unreliable.

Working Memory Model Intro

The Working Memory Model (Baddeley & Hitch, 1974) expanded on the MSM by proposing that short-term memory is not a single store but a system with multiple parts. The central executive directs attention and coordinates other systems. The phonological loop handles verbal and auditory information, the visuospatial sketchpad processes visual and spatial material, and the episodic buffer integrates information from different sources.

Context Working Memory Model

Evidence for the WMM comes from Baddeley et al. (1975), who studied the “word length effect.” Participants remembered more short words than long words in immediate recall. This is because the phonological loop has a limited capacity of about 1.5–2 seconds of spoken material, so shorter words fit better than longer words.

Supporting Claim

This supports the idea that short-term memory has specialized subsystems rather than being one store. The WMM also explains multitasking, such as listening while drawing, which the MSM cannot. However, one limitation is that the role of the central executive is still vague and not well understood.

Explain one model of memory with reference to one study.

One model of memory is the Multi-Store Model (MSM) proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968). The MSM suggests that memory consists of three separate stores: sensory memory, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). Information first enters sensory memory, and if attended to, it moves to STM. Through rehearsal, information can then be transferred into LTM for more permanent storage. Each store differs in duration, capacity, and how information is processed.

A supporting study is Glanzer and Cunitz (1966). In their experiment, participants were asked to recall lists of words. The results showed a primacy effect (better recall of words from the beginning of the list, stored in LTM) and a recency effect (better recall of words at the end of the list, still in STM). When participants performed a distractor task before recall, the recency effect disappeared while the primacy effect remained, demonstrating the difference between STM and LTM.

This study supports the MSM because it shows evidence for separate memory stores and how information moves between them. However, the MSM has been criticized for being too simplistic, as it does not account for different types of memory or the interaction between them.

Explain one model of memory with reference to one study.

Working Memory Model (WMM) proposed by Baddeley and Hitch (1974). Unlike the MSM, which views STM as one single store, the WMM describes STM as a system with multiple components: the central executive (which directs attention), the phonological loop (verbal and auditory information), the visuospatial sketchpad (visual and spatial information), and the episodic buffer (integrates information across stores and with LTM).

A study that supports the WMM is Baddeley and Hitch (1976). They tested participants on multitasking by asking them to perform two tasks at once: one involving reasoning and one involving remembering digit sequences. Results showed that participants could perform both tasks, although performance slowed slightly. This suggests STM is not a single store but has multiple components that can process different types of information at the same time.

Another supporting case study is Shallice and Warrington’s (1970) study of KF, a brain-damaged patient who had impaired STM for verbal information but intact STM for visual information. This dissociation supports the WMM’s claim that STM has separate subsystems for different types of information.

Explain schema theory with reference to one study.

Schema theory suggests that people use mental frameworks, called schemas, to organize and interpret information. Schemas are built from prior experiences and knowledge, and they guide how we encode, store, and retrieve information. This means memory is reconstructive — instead of remembering events exactly as they happened, we often fill in gaps with information that fits our expectations.

A classic study supporting schema theory is Bartlett (1932) with his “War of the Ghosts” experiment. British participants read a Native American folk story that contained unfamiliar details and cultural references. When asked to recall the story later, participants shortened it, omitted unfamiliar elements, and changed details to fit their cultural background — for example, “canoe” became “boat” and “hunting seals” became “fishing.” Bartlett concluded that memory is influenced by cultural schemas, showing that we reconstruct memories based on what makes sense to us.

This study supports schema theory because it demonstrates how memory can be distorted by pre-existing knowledge and expectations. While Bartlett’s study lacked strict controls, it remains influential in showing that schemas shape how we remember information.