multi store model

3 stores of MSM (Atkinson and shriffin)

1. sensory memory (sensory register)

2. short term memory

3. long term memory

features of each store

1. coding= the format that info is stored in each store

2. how much info can be held in the store

3. how much info can be retained for

coding for all stores

1. sensory= all modalities

2. stm= acoustic

3. ltm= semantic

capacity of all stores

1. sr= vast

2. stm= 7 + or - 2 chunks

3. infinite

duration of all stores

1. sr= 300 ms

2. stm= 18-30 secs

3. ltm= potentially infinite

information processing model of memory

• linear= info move through model in one direction eg sm-stm-ltm

• passive= learning just happens- rehearse enough info transfers into ltm

diagram of MSM

description and AO1 of sensory register

• not under cognitive control , until we pay attention- at that point it transfers to stm

• receives all sensory info from environment- via sense and has a very large capacity

• coding is modality specific- coded according to which sense eg visual info= iconic register, hearing= echoic/acoustic register

• duration = <250ms

evidence for sensory register and AO3

• george sterling

• p’s saw grid of digits + letters for 50 milisecs

• asked to write down all 12 items

• or told they could hear a tone immediately after grid was shown + should write down the row indicated (top,m,b)

• when asked to recall total grid= worse 5 items (42 %)

• when asked to give only one row= ¾ items (75%)

• explanations for capacity

short term memory description and AO1

• info enters stm from sm when attention is paid to it

• info held in stm we are consciously aware of

• this info is used for immediate tasks

• coding- accountability -according to how it sounds

• duration- 18 to 30secs can forget via decay or is displaced

• capacity- 5 to 9 items/chunks of info

• info transferred from stm-ltm for storage via maintenance rehearsal- aka verbal rehearsal

• prolonged repetition will create long lasting items

• more rehearsal= stronger mem