1 multi store model of memory AO1 + 3

who developed the multi-store model of memory?

atkinson and shiffrin (1968) developed the MSM, explaining how information flows through memory in three stores — sensory register, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM).

what does the MSM propose about memory?

it proposes that memory is made up of three separate stores — information moves through them in a linear process via attention and rehearsal.

describe the sensory register

receives information from the senses.

• coding: depends on sense (e.g. iconic = visual, echoic = auditory).

• capacity: very large.

• duration: very brief (less than half a second).
  if attention is paid, information moves to stm.

describe short-term memory (STM).

temporary store for information in use.

• coding: mainly acoustic.

• capacity: 7 ± 2 items (miller).

• duration: 18–30 seconds (peterson & peterson).
  information transfers to LTM through prolonged rehearsal.

describe long-term memory (LTM)

permanent store for information that has been rehearsed.

• coding: mainly semantic.

• capacity: potentially unlimited.

• duration: up to a lifetime (bahrick et al.).

what is the role of rehearsal in the MSM?

• maintenance rehearsal keeps info in STM.

• prolonged rehearsal transfers info to LTM.
  the more info is rehearsed, the stronger the memory trace.

ao3 strength — supporting research evidence?

✔ research supports the separation of stm and ltm.

e.g. baddeley (1966) found stm uses acoustic coding, ltm uses semantic — shows they are independent stores.

ao3 strength — case study evidence?

✔ clive wearing and HM had damaged ltm but normal stm — shows that the two stores are separate. supports msm structure.

ao3 limitation — oversimplified?

❌ msm suggests ltm and stm are single, unitary stores.

in reality, ltm has multiple types (episodic, semantic, procedural — tulving).

stm also has multiple components (working memory model).

ao3 limitation — rehearsal explanation is too simple?

❌ msm claims rehearsal alone transfers info to ltm, but craik and watkins (1973) found type of rehearsal matters more than amount — elaborative rehearsal (linking meaning) is more effective.

ao3 limitation — artificial tasks?

❌ supporting studies often use meaningless stimuli (e.g. word lists, trigrams), so msm may not reflect real-life memory use. lacks ecological validity.

ao3 strength — practical applications?

✔ understanding msm helps education and revision strategies (using elaborative rehearsal to move info to ltm).

what does the MSM fail to explain about memory?

it doesn’t explain how info is actively processed or why some memories transfer to ltm without rehearsal (e.g. emotional events).

overall evaluation summary of the MSM.

✔ clear structure + supported by evidence (baddeley, clive wearing).

❌ oversimplified — ignores complexity of memory.

❌ rehearsal not the only factor in transfer.

❌ based on artificial lab research.

summary table of msm stores.

store	coding	capacity	duration	transfer
sensory register	sense-specific	very large	< 0.5 sec	attention
stm	acoustic	7± 2 items	18-30 sec	rehearsal
ltm	semantic	unlimited	lifetime	retrieval