Multi Store Model

What is the MSM - AO1

The MSM by Atkinson & Shiffrin suggests memory consists of 3 separate stores: the sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. Information passes through these stores in a linear sequence, with maintenance rehearsal transferring info from STM to LTM. Each store differs in terms of coding, capacity, and duration, for example STM mainly codes info acoustically, whereas LTM codes information semantically

Supporting evidence - AO3

This is supported by Baddeley’s study, which found that pps made more errors when recalling acoustically similar words in STM and semantically similar words in LTM. This suggests that STM and LTM encode information differently, supporting the idea that they are separate memory stores

Critique - AO3

However, Baddeley’s study used artificial word lists, which lack ecological validity as remembering lists of words does not reflect how memory is used in everyday life. This means the findings may not fully represent how memory works outside of lab settings

Alternative model - AO1

An alternative model, the working memory model by Baddeley and Hitch, suggests that STM is not a single store but has many components such as the central executive, phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad, each responsible for processing different types of info

Alternative model - AO3

This is a strength over the MSM, as it explains how people can perform dual tasks, such as reading while listening, which the MSM cannot explain as it assumes STM is unitary. This suggests the MSM is overly simplistic and reductionist, whereas the WMM provides a more detailed and realistic explanation of STM

Application - AO1

The MSM explains that information must be repeated via maintenance rehearsal in STM to be transferred into LTM, and that forgetting can occur due to displacement in STM or decay over time

Application - AO3

This has real-world application in education, where strategies like repetition & maintenance rehearsal are used to transfer info into LTM. For example, students revise content repeatedly to strengthen memory, improving recall in exams. This shows MSM has practical value in explaining and improving learning

Conclusion

In conclusion, the MSM helps give a clear & structured explanation on how memory works, through distinction between separate stores & processes like rehearsal & decay. However, it has issues such as it is an overly simplistic view of memory, such as the assumption STM is unitary, meaning it is reductionist & can’t explain memory as a whole.