multi store model of memory

description of MSM

-info reaches our senses through environmental stimuli

-enters our sensory register for milliseconds

-if info is paid attention to, it passes to STM for 12-15 seconss through maintenance rehearsal

-elaborative rehearsal is needed for this info to enter LTM where it can last a life time

What does capacity mean?

The amount of information that can be held in a memory store

What does duration mean?

How long the information is stored for.

What does encoding mean?

The way information enters the memory

capacity of sensory memory

large

duration of sensory memory

milliseconds

encoding into sensory memory

depends on sense usdd

STM capacity and duration

7+/-2 , 12-15 seconds

STM encoding

mainly acoustic

LTM capacity and duration

unlimited and forever

What is maintenance rehearsal?

Repeating information over and over to hold it in short-term memory longer.

What is elaborative rehearsal?

A memory technique that involves thinking about the meaning of the term to be remembered

Evidence for MSM- acoustic encoding in STM, researcher?

Conrad (1964)

CONRAD 1964 acoustic encoding in STM, aim and method

to investigate encoding in STN

METHOD-

ppts were visually presented with series of letters and asked to recall them immediately. there was 2 conditions- the letters sounded similar to eachother and the letters sounded different from eachother

CONRAD 1964 acoustic encoding in STM, results and conclusions

Ppts found it more difficult to recall strings of letters that sounded the same than letters that sounded different.

AND SO

STM codes information acoustically because ppts confused letters which sounded the same

Conrad (1964) strength peel point

-lab experiment and therefore establishes cause and effect

-had high control over extraneous variables

-therefore, resulrs are reliable and strongly support the claim

Conrad (1964) weakness peel point

-lab experiment and therefore has low ecological validity so doesn't test memory in a realistic way

-it is an artificial and simple task

-therefore it can't be generalised to real life and may not provide valid supporr

Evidence for MSM- semantic encoding in LTM, researcher?

baddeley (1966)

BADDELEY 1966 semantic encoding in LTM, aim and method

To investigate encoding in LTM

ppts were given a list of 10 words and asked to recall them in order after 20 mins . The lists they saw were

-acoustically similar

-acoustically dissimilar

-semantically similar

-semantically dissimilar

BADDELEY 1966 semantic encoding in LTM, results and conclusion

Ppts were much better at correctly recalling words which had different meanings (semantically dissimilar).

Therefore, encoding in LTM is mainly semantic because ppts remember more when using semantic encoding than acousitc encoding

Baddeley (1966) strength peel point

-lab experiment = cause and effect

-so it has high control over extraneous variables

-so the results are reliable and strongly support the claim that LTM encoding is mainly semantic

Baddeley (1966) weakness peel point

-low ecological validity so it doesn't test memory in a realistic and meaningful way

-artificial and simple task which doesn't test true complexity of memory

-therefore the results can't be generalised to real life and may not provide valid support

Capacity of STM- digit span METHOD and CONC

technique consists of ppts hearing a list of numbers and immediately trying to recall them in the correct order. Miller (1956) found that most people can recall between 5-9 informations and concuded the capacity of STM

Miller and chunking (capacity of stm)

Miller found that the capacity of STM could be increased by combining separate bits of information to make the info more meaningful as IT ORGANISES WITH EXISTING KNOWLEDGE FROM YOUR LTM

duration of STM- researchers?

peterson and peterson (1959)

Peterson and Peterson (1959)- duration of STM, aim and method

To test how long STM can last when ppts were prevented from rehearsing the material.

Ppts were presented with a consonant trigram. Rehearsal was prevented by asking them to count backwards in threes from a specified number. After intervals of 3,6,9,12,15,18 seconds, ppts were asked to stop counting and repeat trigram. The % of trigrams correctly recalled was recorded for each time interval.

Peterson and Peterson (1959)- duration of STM, results and conclusion

Ppts were able to recall 80% of trigrams after 3 seconds but after 18 seconds, fewer than 10% of trigrams were recalled correctly.

AND SO, if rehearsal is prevented, information vanished rapidly from STM

Peterson and Peterson (1959) strength peel point

-lab experiment and therefore establishes cause and effect.

-has high control over extraneous variables

-therefore is reliable and supports the claim

Peterson and Peterson (1959) weakness peel point

-low ecological validity so doesn't test memory in a realistic and meaningful way

-as it's an artificial and simple test so doesn't test true complexity of memory

-therefore can't be generalised to real life and may not provide valid support

LTM duration- researcher?

Bahrick et al (1975)

Bahrick et al (1975)- LTM duration, aim and method

to investigate the length of time memories can be retained in LTM

investigators interviewed graduates from high school in america over a 50 year period. Around 400 graduates were shown a set of photographs and a list of names. They had to identify which of the faces were their class mates and then give their name.

Bahrick et al (1975)- LTM duration, results and conclusion

Ppts we're 90% correct recognising faces and named after 15 years after graduation. Those who had left 48 years ago recalled 80% of names and 70% of faves.

THEREFORE, LTM duration is virtually lifelong

Bahrick et al (1975) strength peel point

-natural experiment and therefore has high ecological validity

-this used meaningful stimulus material and tested people for memories from their own lives

-this provides valuable information regarding how our LTM works in an everyday context

Bahrick et al (1975) weakness peel point

-low control over extraneous variables and we can't be certain that the IV is causing the DV

-therefore results may have been affected by external factors

-and we can't be confident the conclusion is reliable

Clive Wearings case of amnesia- anterograde amnesia?

this is the loss of ability to create new memories which leads to a partial or complete inability to recall the recent past because the part of the brain required to transfer memories from STM to LTM was damaged.

Clive Wearings case of amnesia- retrograde amnesia? what can he remember?

This is the loss of ability to create new memories. His love for is wife is unaffected but he greets her joyously every time they meet believing he hasn't seen her for years. He still recalls how to play piano and conduct a choir but doesn't have recollection of receiving musical education.

how does clives case support MSM?

suggests that STM and LTM are separate stores as info cant be tranferred from his STM to LTM although part of his LTM are still functioning.

how does clives case not support MSM?

shows that LTM is not a single store as he retained good memory of his procedural LTM but his episodic and semantic LTM was largely lost. This suggests that LTM is not a unitary store like the model suggests.

strength peel of clives case as a case study

-provides in depth real life evidence about how memory works

-allows large amounts of data to be collected

-and so helps our understanding of how memory works in real life

weakness peel of clives case as a case study

-only investigates one individual with a unique disorder

-so we cant be certain that everybodys memory would have responded in the same way under the same conditions

-so results cant be generalised to everyone

primacy and recency effect- researchers?

Glanzer and Cunitz

primacy and recenct effect- aim and method

to investigate if recall of words is affected by the order that theyre presented.

Ppts heard a long list of words then had to recall them in any order they wished.

primacy and recency effect- results

ppts recall was best for the first and last items on the list and they tended to recall the last few items first.

primacy and recency effect- conclusions

the primacy effect occurs because ppts were able to rehearse the first items on the list and store them in LTM. the recency effect occurs because the last few items on the list are still fresh in STM

Evaluation of Glanzer & Cunitz (1966) strength peel

-lab experiment so establishes cause and effect

-so has high control over extraneous variables

-so results are reliable

Evaluation of Glanzer & Cunitz (1966) weakness peel

-low ecological validity

-its a simple and artificial task

-so results cant be generalised

strength of multi store model of memory- as a contrubution to research PEEL

-enormous contribution to understanding of memory as it was the first account of memories overall structure so it laid the foundation and provided framework for new investigations into memory.

strength of multi store model of memory- clive wearing PEEL

-supported by real life case of clive wearing

-he developed anterograde amnesia as the part of his brain required to transfer memories from stm to ltm was damaged.

-these findings suggest that STM and LTM are separate stores and different areas of the brain

strength of multi store model of memory- primacy and recency effect PEEL

-supported by the primacy and recency effect found in lab experiments such as glanzer and cunitz

-showed ppts were able to rehearse the first items and last items in the list due to the first being stored in LTM and the last still in STM

-support the model as they suggest that STM and LTM are separate stores and rehearsal transfers information from STM and LTM as the model suggests