The multi-store memory model - Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968)

Claim of the multi store memory model

- Memory consists of three separate components: sensory memory store, short-term memory (STM) store and long-term memory (LTM) store
- Information flows from sensory memory to long-term memory if certain conditions are met, namely; attention and rehearsal
- The process is a one directional flow of information from one store to another

Process of model

- Information travels from sensory memory through STM to LTM
- Rehearsal is the main means of transferring information into LTM in which it can be stored indefinitely
- Information stored in LTM is not always easily retrievable

Strenghts of model

- Seen as parsimonious; explains a lot of observed data with only a few components
- Seen as heuristic; inspired many insightful research studies

Criticism of model

- Emphasizes structure over process and fails to consider how information flows between the components
- Rote rehearsal is the only mechanism included that enables information to trabel between STM and LTM and this is an oversimplification
- Only explains the flow of information in one direction although it can be argued to flow in the opposite direction as well
- STM and LTM should be further subdivided as these are argued to not be unitary stores

Sensory memory

- Duration; 1 sec for visual stimuli and 2-5 sec for auditory stimuli
- Capacity; everything in the perceptual field
- Required conditions; attention

Short-term memory (STM)

- Duration; >30 but can be increased by rehearsal
- Capacity; 7±2 chunks of information
- Required conditions; Rehearsal

Long-term memory (LTM)

- Duration; unlimited
- Capacity; unlimited
- Required conditions; N/A

Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) - Aim

Investigate the serial position effect (tendency to better recall the first and the last items on a list) with and without interference from a filler activity

Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) - Findings

- No filler task; both primary (words at the start) and recency (words at end) effect were observed
- Filler task; Primary effect remained but the recency effect disappeared (more prominent in 30-seconds condition)

Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) - Connection to memory

Indicates that STM and LTM are two separate memory stores and that information moves from STM to LTM if it is rehearsed but gradually decays if not
- The duration of STM is around 30 secs