multi store memory model

capacity

the size of the memory store

encoding

how memories are registered as memories

storage

how memories remain as memories after they have been registered

retrieval

how we access memories when an output is needed (we need to remember something)

mode of representation

the form in which information is stored

duration

how long information remains in the store

what does the MSM suggest

memory is made up of three stores - sensory, short term and long term - which work in a linear format

what is the sensory store

where were take in information from five senses

sensory store duration

up to 2 seconds

how can information from sensory store be able to be pass onto STM

it must be paid attention to

what happens if you don't pay attention to information from sensory store

it is lost through trace decay

how is the sensory store encoded

modality free

STM duration

up to 30 seconds

how is STM encoded

mainly auditory

how can STM be made to pass onto LTM

elaborative rehearsal

what happens if information from STM is not rehearsed

it is lost via trace decay

LTM duration

potentially years

how is LTM encoded

mainly semantically

LTM capacity

unlimited

how do you retrieve information from LTM

retrieval cues

how is LTM lost

through trace decay or interference

what is the role of sensory store

to hold information for the briefest second until attention is paid to it, transferring, for the most part, only relevant information to STM

how is information passed onto stm

by attention being paid to it

stm capacity

7 ± 2

stm encoding

mainly acoustic

stm duration

18 - 30 seconds

how can a STM be lost

decay or displacement

how can you hold information longer in stm and what may that also do as result

rehearsal, this also makes it more likely that the information will pass onto ltm

how can you increase capacity in STM

chunking e.g. remembering it as ‘1-10’ rather than the numbers individually

how may chunking increase capacity

the chunk is classed as one piece of information rather than number items

LTM capacity

unlimited

LTM duration

potentially infinite

LTM encoding

semantic, visual and acoustic

how can a LTM be lost

decay or interference

how can you help the recall of a LTM

by adding meaning to the material

what supportive evidence do we have of STM as proposed by MSM

Peterson & Peterson

what was the aim of Petersons’ study

investigate the duration of STM and provide empirical evidence of the MSM

petersons’ procedure

24 psychology students had to recall trigrams (meaningless three consonant syllables e.g. TGY). to prevent rehearsal participants were made to count backwards in threes or fours from a random number until they saw a red light. participants were then asked to recall the Trigrams

petersons’ findings

the longer the interval delay the less the trigrams were recalled. After 3 seconds delay, 80% of trigrams were remembered. However after 18 seconds, less than 10% of Trigrams were recalled correctly

petersons’ conclusions

STM has a limited duration when rehearsal is presented. it is thought this information is lost via trace decay. This also shows LTM is different from STM in terms of duration, thus supporting the MSM