The multi-store memory model

Made by:

Atkinson and Schifrin

Sensory register:

• Memory stores for each sense (e.g. iconic, echoic, etc.)

• Capacity is very high

• Duration is less than half a second

• Information only passes further into short term memory if you pay attention

STM:

• Coded acoustically

• Although Miller said capacity was 5-9, Cowan suggests it is more likely 5

• Duration is 18 seconds

• If maintenance rehearsal is done long enough it will transfer into the long term memory

LTM:

• Coded semantically

• Unlimited capacity

• Life time duration

• If we want to recall information to the STM, we must use retrieval

Multiple STM stores

KF - when digits were read to him, he had poor recall, but when he read them to himself, it was much better, showing there may be multiple STM stores

Research support

HM - after a surgery, removing part of his hippocampus, he could not form new LT memories. However, he performed well on immediate memory span tests

Multiple LTM stores

Clive Wearing - after hippocampus damaged from an infection, he remembers only certain aspects of his LTM. E.g. he remembers he has children but not their names