2. The Multi Store model of memory ╰(*°▽°*)╯

Who invented the multi store model of memory, and what does it do? (give dates too)

• The multi-store model of memory was invented by Atkinson and shriffin (1968, 1971)

• it describes how information flows through the memory system. The model suggests that memory is made up of three stores linked by processing.

Describe what the sensory register does.
(hint: what type of coding, types of memory stores (iconic.. etc.., duration, capacity….etc)

• stimuli from the environment passes into the sensory register.

• this part of memory comprises several registers, on for each of our five senses.

• coding in each store is modality specific, for example, the store coding for visual information is iconic memory and the store coding for acoustic information is echoic memory.

• duration of material in the SR is very brief - about 0.05 seconds for iconic memory but as much as 3 seconds for echoic memory.

• the SR has a very high capacity, for example over one hundred million cells in one eye, each storing data.

• information passes further into the memory system ONLY if you pay attention to it (so attention is the key process)

Describe what then happens in the short term memory. (STM) (hint: coding, capacity, rehearsal etc…)

• Information in the STM is coded mainly acoustically and lasts about 18 seconds unless it is rehearsed, so STM is more of a temporary store

• STM is a limited capacity store because it can only contain a certain number of ‘things’ before forgetting occurs.

• the maximum capacity is around 5-9 items, though cowans research suggests it could be around 5.

• Maintenance rehearsal occurs when we repeat (rehearse) material to ourselves over and over again. We can keep the information in our STM’s as long as we rehearse it.

• if we rehearse it long enough, the information will then be passed into our Long term memory (LTM)

Describes what then happens in the Long term memory (LTM) (hint: coding, duration, examples from other studies, LTM to STM?)

This is the potentially permanent store for information that has been rehearsed for a prolonged time.

• we have already seen that LTMs are coded mostly semantically.

• psychologists believed that its duration may be up to a lifetime. For example, as we saw in Bahrick’s experiment (1975) found that many of their participants were able to recognise the names and faces fo their school classmates almost 50 years after graduating.

• the capacity of LTM is thought to be practically unlimited.

• according to the MSM, when we want to recall to recall information from the LTM, it has to be transferred back into STM by a process we call retrieval.

What is a strength of the MSM?

Separate stores ✅

• Support from research using more modern techniques that still shows that STM and LTM are separate stores.

• Squire (2009) reviewed neuroimaging studies that compared the brain areas associated with STM and LTM.

• the overall results indicated that the prefrontal cortex is significantly active during tasks involving STM

• in addition, the hippocampus (and other structures) have been associated with the reorganisation and consolidation of memories during the lengthy period after learning (LTM).

• These regional differences in the brain suggest that STM and LTM are independent stores, as claimed by the MSM.

More than one memory store ❌

• The MSM is evidence of more than one STM store.

• Shallice and Warrington (1970) studied KF, who developed amnesia (loss of memory) after being involved in a motorcycle accident.

• KF’s STM for digits was very poor when they were read out to him. But his recall was much better when he read the digits to himself.

• Further studies of KF showed that there could be another short-term memory store for non-verbal sounds. (e.g. noises)

• This evidence suggests that the MSM is wrong in claiming that there is just one STM store processing different types of information (visual, acoustic, etc.)

Elaborative rehearsal ❌

• prolonged rehearsal is not needed for transfer to LTM

• According to the MSM, what matters about rehearsal is the amount of it - the more you rehearse something, the more likely it is to transfer to LTM.

• This is maintenance rehearsal. But Craik and Watkins (1973) found that the type of rehearsal is more important than the amount.

• Elaborative rehearsal is needed for long-term storage. This occurs when you link the information to your existing knowledge, or you think about what it means.

• This means that information can be transferred to LTM without prolonged (maintenence) rehearsal.

• This suggests that the MSM does not fully explain how long-term storage is achieved.