the multi store model

who created the multi store model

Atkinson and Shiffrin

what does the multi store model describe

how information flows through the memory system - through three stores linked by processing 

what are the three stores within the multi store model

sensory register →short term memory store→long term memory store

what are the two main stores within the sensory register 

iconic (coded visually) and echoic memory (coded acoustically)

what is the duration and capacity of the sensory register

duration is less than half a second and capacity is high

what is required for things to pass from the sensory register to the STM

paying attention to it

how does information stay in our STM and pass onto our LTM

maintenance rehearsal - repeating information over and over again until it’s rehearsed long enough to pass on

how are memories recalled from the LTM

retrieval - memories are transferred back to the STM from the LTM in order to be recalled 

what is a strength of the multi store model

research evidence for STM and LTM being qualitatively different - e.g. Baddeley’s research shows that words are mixed up by the STM when they sounds similar, and by the LTM when they have similar meanings

what is a limitation of the STM as a part of the multi store model

research into amnesia patient KF highlights that STM for digits is poor when read out loud to him but he could read them to himself (there may be two STM for sounds and visuals)

what is a limitation of rehearsal as part of the multi store model

Craik and Watkins found evidence for two types of rehearsal - maintenance (not used for LTM) and elaborative rehearsal (linking info to existing knowledge or thinking about what it means)