Short term memory (STM) is considered as incoming information from the sense which we attend to for only a short period of time. Only when we attend to the incoming sensory information and rehearse it does that information transfer from short term memory to long term memory. Short term memory is thought to be limited to 18-30 seconds, information that is not processed into long term memory is then lost through decay or displacement. The three main areas to memory are encoding, which is the way information is changed so it can be stored in memory. The information enters the brain via the senses including eyes and ears, it is then stored in various forms such as visual codes (pictures), acoustic form (sound based) or semantic form (how we attach meaning or experiences) Encoding
Outline and Evaluate the Multi-Store of Memory The idea of a multi-store memory, was discovered by Atkinson and Shiffrin in 1968, and argues that memory can be divided into three separate structures; Sensory memory, Short-term memory and Long-term memory. Information is thought to enter the memory system through the Sensory memory, then passed on to the Short Term memory when attention is paid to it. If this information is thought about and rehearsed in the Short Term memory it is passed to the Long-Term Memory to help interpret information in Short Term Memory. The Sensory Memory, which is uses visual, auditory and tactile encoding, has a limited capacity however, and a brief duration, so for information to be useful, it has to be passed
Outline and evaluate the multi-store model of memory (12 marks) Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) developed the multi-store model of memory to describe how the whole memory is structured. Incoming information enters a sensory memory for a brief period of time. A tiny fraction of it is then transmitted to the short term memory where it can be held and influenced. A little of that information is then transferred to the long term memory for more permanent storage. Sensory memory is the memory stores of all the info that your senses take in, it is held long enough for us to pay attention to it, if wanted, and then initially process it before it transfers to the short term memory.
Outline and evaluate the multi-store model of memory. (12 marks) The multi store model of memory is the system that describes the process of memorising things and is an information processing system that we all have. The MSM is split into three sections they are: sensory, short term memory and long term memory. The researchers that came up with this idea were Atkinson and Shiffrin in 1968. They investigated the idea that memory wasn’t a single process but involved more than one stage.
The superior recall of items at the start of the list is called the primary effect, whilst the superior recall of the items at the end of the list is called the recency effect. This is good evidence for the multi-store model of memory because it shows the difference between the STM and the LTM. Rundus & Atkinson (1970) Rundus and Atkinson asked participants to rehearse out loud the list they were given (similar to Murdock's experiment). Tape recordings showed that words from the beginning of the list were more likely to be rehearsed than later ones. Because of the limited capacity of the STM, words from the middle of the list are thought to be lost completely or unavailable for recall.
Three stages of memory The three stages of memory consist of sensory memory, short term memory, and long term memory. Each stage has specific functions in how its stores memory, for how long, and when that memory is called upon. Sensory memory lasts about 1 - 2 seconds and is the immediate perception of stimuli in the environment. You can either dismiss that perception, or transfer it to short-term memory or perhaps long-term memory. Sensory memory is often divided into iconic (visual input) and echoic (sound) memory.
Forgetting in the STM – when we look back at the multi-store model it tells us that the capacity and the duration are limited. The capacity is 7+-2 and the duration is also a few seconds. Therefore information cannot stay in the short term indefinitely if it is not transferred to the LTM. One way to look at memory is through the memory trace. The memory trace is a physical representation of information in the brain.
This is not explained in the model of Atkinson and Shiffrin. Also it suggests we have to rehearse everything for it to be stored in long term memory when in real life we do not rehearse everything in order for it to be remembered. This means this could only apply to experimental conditions. Furthermore it is oversimplistic as it doesn’t describe in detail and we know that there are more long term memory stores than just the one. However, they were the first people to attempt to make a model of the brain and they have shown a
| Unlimited capacity. | Unlimited duration: anything from a few minutes to a lifetime. | Research | Baddeley (1966) | No research conducted due to impracticality. | Bahrick et al (1975) | * Example of STM: Trying to remember a 7 digit phone number that you have just been given. * Example of LTM: Childhood memories Short Term Memory (STM) | Encoding | Acoustically encoded: sound area of brain is activated during processing.
The following will highlight two models of memory; the multi store model and the working memory model. The Multi store memory was developed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968), it explains how the storage flows from one storage system to another which is divided into 3 stages; Sensory Memory, Short Term Memory and Long Term Memory. Information coming from the external stimuli enters the sensory memory; it remains in here for a very short period of time. If information is perceived to be important it then moves on to the short term memory, if it isn’t it will decay. This information once in the short term memory will remain here for a few seconds unless it is rehearsed or displaced as new memories get received.