models of memory

multistore model of memory

represenattion of how memory works in terms of three stores called sensory register, STM and LTM and it also describes how information is transferred from one store to another

sensory memory

duration- less than 0.5second

capacity- massive e.g. over 100 million cells in the eye processing data

coding- coded by the way it was input (senses)

elaborative rehearsal

format other than repetition that transfers information from the STM to the LTM

maintenance rehearsal

repetition, keeps information in the STM

LTM→ STM

retrieval

sensory memory→ STM

attention

Tulving’s three stores of LTM

1. episodic memory

2. semantic memory

3. procedural memory

episodic memory

information about our own experiences or events which are unique to an individual- linked to time and location (declarative memory)

semantic memory

information about words, facts, rules, meanings and concepts as an organised body of knowledge- like a mental encyclopaedia (declarative memory)

procedural memory

memory for actions/skills/how we do things, can be recalled without conscious awareness (non-declarative)

evaluation of Tulving’s three stores of LTM

• supporting research evidence- case of HM, found that HM was only able to form procedural memories and semantic memories. He still understood the meaning of words and knew how to walk and speak. Supports tulving’s view that there are different memory stores in LTM- one store can be damaged but other stores are unaffected. HOWEVER, there are issues with use of such research evidence as major limitation of the case study is that it lacks control variables because the brain injury was unexpected so the researcher has no knowledge of the individuals memory before the damage so difficult to judge whether memory is worse after so study is limited on what it can tell about LTM

• contrasting evidence- Buckner and Peterson found that the left-side of the prefrontal cortex is linked to semantic memory and the right side is linked to episodic but other researchers found the opposite but all studies support there are separate memory stores

• criticism of LTM- some argue that there are naturally only two types of LTM (declarative and non-declarative). They argue that episodic memory is a specialised sub category of semantic memory, instead of its own store HOWEVER, Clive Wearing discredits the idea, he had a viral infection that damaged his brain and impaired his memory, he could remember how to play the piano but not his musical education and could also remember certain aspects of life before infection such as he could recognise his wife but would greet her joyfully as he believes he hasn’t seen her in years even if he saw her a couple minutes before. This supports that semantic and episodic memory are separate as he knew he had a wife (semantic) but couldn’t remember his memories with her (episodic)

working memory model

a representation of STM that suggests it is a dynamic processor of different types of information using sub-units coordinated by a central decision-making system suggested by Baddeley and Hitch

four components of working memory model

1. central executive

2. phonological loop

3. episodic buffer

4. visuo-spatial sketchpad

central executive

information first enters the working memory model here and decides what information to pay attention to from all the available stimuli and decides where to send information- very limited capacity (working part of WMM)

phonological loop

deals with auditory info and stores it in the order received- limited capacity of 2 seconds worth of what you can say, stores words and sounds, duration= 2 seconds

articulatory process- repeats words and sounds (inner voice) maintenance rehearsal

visuo-spatial sketchpad

inner eye, visual and spatial info

visual cache-stores visual form and colour

inner scribe- spatial relations and arrangements of objects

limited capacity of 3 or 4 objects

episodic buffer

more general store

buffer= extra storage system but with limited capacity

integrates information from all other areas

maintains time sequencing- like recording events

sends info to LTM

strengths of working model of memory

• supporting evidence-case of KF who suffered brain damage due to motorbike accident, had difficulty recalling sounds but could recall letters and digits if he read them himself, suggests phonological loop had been damaged but other areas of his working memory was unaffected supporting the theory of separate stores for auditory and visual information proposed by Baddeley and Hitch HOWEVER, evidence from case studies is not generalisable as unique case, cannot rely on evidence such as this to support WMM so need to look at more scientific evidence as well

• scientific supporting evidence- dual task studies, Baddeley et al (1975) found participants had difficulty tracking a light and describing the letter ‘F’ at the same time but had no difficulty completing a visual and auditory task at the same time, supports WMM as suggests there are separate stores for visual and auditory info, and that the visuo-spatial sketchpad has limited capacity. This evidence is more reliable and valid than case studies as it was a lab experiment which the IV had been carefully manipulated and procedure was standardised with variables controlled

• real life application- can advise people not to listen to music whilst trying to revise as we know we are unable to process two different forms of auditory information at the same time due to capacity of phonological loop

weakness of working memory model

• little research for central executive and episodic buffer- they are abstract and vague concepts which are difficult to test in an empirical and objective way meaning the theory is unfalsifiable

• doesn’t take into account all factors- cannot explain how blind people process visual information because it implies all spatial information was once visual when in fact most blind people have very good spatial memory, despite never having a visual representation of the information, this means its an incomplete explanation on how the STM works