Models of Memory

Multi-store model of memory

Sensory memory: less than a second, all sensory experiences, pay attention to transfer to short-term memory

Short-term memory: 6-12 seconds, 5-9 items, rehearse to transfer to long-term memory

Long-term memory: unlimited time and unlimited items

Evaluate MSM

• historically important and the foundation for more detailed theories

• supported by many research studies/limited capacity of short-term memory/importance of rehearsal/difference between short and long-term

• too simple: how can memories be distorted and why traumatic experiences can be transferred to memory without rehearsal

Murdoch

A: how the position of words in a list affects memory

P: shown a list of words/one at a time/1-2 seconds per word/immediately asked to recall as many words as possible

F: tended to remember more words at the beginning (primacy) and the end (recency)/worst recall for the middle words

C: primacy and recent effects can be explained by msg/words at the beginning at rehearsed and transferred to ltm/words at the end are recent and are in the stm

Evaluate Murdoch

• provides support for msm: stm (recency) and ltm (primacy)

• debatable if beginning words are in ltm

• artificial task lacks ecological validity

Working Memory Model

Central executive: directs other systems/attention control

Phonological loop: verbal component of stm/stores auditory information for 1.5-2 seconds

Visuo-spatial sketchpad: visual and spatial component of stm/visualizes a mental picture from sensory or ltm

Episodic buffer: all information from sensory, stm and ltm is projected to make sue of/explains how to integrate and use information from different memory stores/source of consciousness

Evaluate working memory model

• explains why it is possible to multi-task on some occasions and not others: utilise different stm systems or same memory system

• how they interact with each other is not clear

• says little about ltm and does not explain how memories may be distorted

Landry and Bartling

A: the effects of multi-tasking when both tasks utilise the same working memory system (phonological loop)

P: randomly divided into two groups/1. multi-tasking group 2. single task group/shown 10 letter strings, consisting of 7 random letters/memorize each string of letters and write it down/group 1 told to repeatedly say 1 and 2 at a rate of 2 numbers per second while trying to memorise

F: group 1 performed significantly worse: 45% accuracy compared to 76%

C: repeating numbers 1 and 2 made it more difficult to mentally rehearse the string of letters (diminished memory)/suggests that multi-tasking leads to impaired working memory, especially when both tasks use the same working memory system (phonological loop)

Evaluate Landry and Bartling

• Well controlled lab experiment: demonstrated a clear casual relationship between single vs multi-tasking and recall of letters

• supports working memory model: idea that each memory system has a limited capacity

• artificial task (low ecological validity)