Atkinson-Schiffrin Model

the atkinson shiffrin model explains

how sensory, short term, and long term memory interact

Atkinson-Shiffrin Model

provides a framework to understand how information can flow through these systems

key structures involved in long term memory

• amygdala

• hippocampus

• neocortex

• basal ganglia

• cerebellum

sensory memory

inital storage of sensory input (echoic and ionic memory)

Iconic Memory

visual sensory memory

stores images for 0.2-4 seconds

Iconic Memory example

tracing a sparkler or percieving a moving object as continuous

Echoic Memory

auditory sensory memory

stores sounds for 3-4 seconds

echoic memory example

remembering a recently heard sound like a person’s voice after hearing “what?”

attention in terms of sensory memory and STM

is required for sensory information to transfer to STM, while unattended informaion is lost

selective attention

focused observation/ close attention to external stimuli

encoding (consolidation)

process of converting sensory information into neural impulses/ synaptic connections that support learning (LTP)- occurs mainly in the hippocampus

Short Term Memory function

hold information for active, continuous use

Short Term Memory duration

information typicallt decays after 18-30 seconds, unless renewed (e.g. rehearsal)

short term memory capacity

7 ± 2 items

average person can typically hold 5-9 chinks of information at once

example of maintenance rehearsal

repition helps to extend the duration of STM (e.g repeating a phone number)

forgetting in STM

without rehearsal, information in STM fades quickly

example of forgetting in STM

memories in Inside Out are rehearsed when put into the orbs, those not in orbs or forgotten quickly

displacement

new incoming information can push out older data in STM

Long Term Memory storage

can last a lifetime

Long Term Memory Retrieval

information from LTM can be bought back to STM when needed

Long Term Memory Capacity

potentially unlimited, though seom information may become inaccess

example of LTM capacity

in Inside Out, the large maze Joy and Sadness are in is Riley’s long term memory, the pit beneath with the black memory orbs are the memories that are inaccessible by Riley