Multi-store Model of Memory The Multi-Store Model of Memory is a study of memory and explains how the memory works. Atkinson and Shriffrin (1968) suggested that memory comprised of three separate memory stores, the Sensory memory (store), the Short Term Memory (STM) and the Long Term Memory (LTM). The Multi-Store Model also shows the processes by which the information is passed to each store. The model suggests that human memory involves a sequence of these three stages. Information passes through each stage/store by control processes.
Describe and evaluate 2 models of memory. The Multi-Store Model (MSM). The multi-store model which is also known as Atkinson-Shiffrin memory model which was first recognised in 1968. The model identifies three stores: Sensory memory, Short-Term memory and Long-Term memory and it explains how information is transferred between these stores. The information enters the sensory memory model which is stimulated by the sensory form which remains unaltered in the mind for a brief time before decaying.
With reference to relevant research discuss the extent to which models of memory and theories of forgetting explain human memory. This essay will analyse the effectiveness of the multi-store model of memory and the working memory model together with examination of Trace Decay and Displacement theories of forgetting, as effective methods for explaining human memory. Memory can be defined as the minds storage system for information or experience (Gross 1996). The multi-store model of memory developed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968/1971 as cited in Gross, 1996; Cardwell, Clark and Meldrum, 2004) is a linier diagram with three stores; the sensory store, short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM) stores. Entailing of information flowing in a fixed sequence from one to the next.
The multi-store memory model was proposed by Atkinson & Shiffrin in 1968. It suggests that memory is a flow of information through a system. There are three distinct stages of the system; sensory memory, short term memory and long term memory, information passes through each stage of the system in a linear fashion. Information is registered through the sensory system where they can be passed into the short term memory. The short term memory stores approximately 7 +/-2 items in an acoustic code for approximately 15-30 seconds.
However, the brain shows great anatomical differences between individuals and also shows plasticity, with different regions changing their function in response to damage to one area17. The lesion method usually assumes that after a focal lesion, the intact regions of the brain continue to function in the same manner as before the lesion. However, with tasks controlled by distributed and plastic circuits, the brain can start to reconfigure rapidly following damage. This reconfiguration is helpful for recovery, but makes it difficult to infer the original function of the healthy brain The lesion method also faces the challenge of differential vulnerability: some areas of the cortex are particularly likely to be damaged by stroke18. Therefore, the locations of brain damage are not randomly distributed in the brain: the design of the brain, its blood supply and the surrounding skull mean that some regions of the brain are damaged more often than others.
earsal is the process of repeatedly verbalizing, thinking about, or otherwise acting on information in order to keep that information in memory. Maintenance rehearsal is the repetitive review of information with little or no interpretation. Elaborative rehearsal involves repetition in which the stimulus may be associated with other events and be further processed. Elaborative rehearsal exists in the encoding of information within long term memory. Maintenance rehearsal alone is not sufficient for information to be transferred into long-term memory and permanently stored.
After a memory is transferred to the short-term memory store it is in a ‘fragile’ state. This means that if it isn’t rehearsed it will disappear (decay) quite quickly. When a memory
Glanzer and Cunitz (1966) came up with the theory of the “Serial Positioning experiment”. They gave participants in their experiment three lists of words to remember. It resulted in participants remembering the first list of words (known as Primacy effect), and the last list of words (known as Recency effect), completely forgetting the middle list. This experiment supports the idea of the Multi Store Model as it states that the LTM and the STM are unitary stores (they cannot subdivide into different components). Glanzer and Cunitz suggested that the first list of words
c. Episodic- knowledge of past experience. (Bruning & Norby, n.d.) Levels-of-processing Theory of Memory In 1972 Craik and Lockhart rejected the idea of different memory systems and said that memory is just a by-product of the depth of information processing. (Saegert, 1979) They described three types of processes: (Mcleod, 2007) Memory Processes Psychologists and neuroscientists have identified three processes in memory making. These processes have been confirmed through ECGs and functional MRI tests. (Amin & Malik, 2013) 1.
Secondly storage process: involves entering and maintaining information in memory for a period of time and last of all retrieval process: involves recovering stored information from memory so it can be used. There are three main types of models of memory that demonstrate how our memory processes work including the: Multistore Model (MSM), Working Memory Model (WM) and the Levels of Processing Model (LOP). As such, this essay response will be focussed on the evaluation of MSM & LOP memory models supported the arguments with relevant studies. The multi-store model of memory was proposed by Atkinsn and Shiffrin (1968). The multistore model consists of three memory stores: sensory memory (SM), short term memory (STM) and long term memory (LTM) that is used for different tasks.