MODELS OF MEMORY Multistore Model of Memory Starter

MODELS OF MEMORY Multi-store Model of Memory

Starter – Recap! Read your card Find the rest of the members of your group! Should be six groups/pairs

Learning Objectives To recap what we know about the three different memory stores To describe the multi-store model of memory (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968) To evaluate the model using research

Multi-store Model of Memory Proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) Based on the idea that memory is divided into three stores – sensory, STM and LTM Complete the diagram in your booklet of the multi-store model using pg. 89 of your textbook Underline any words you don’t understand

Recoding Process Incoming Stimuli Sensory Memory Stores uncoded sensory input Information loss through decay Short Term Memory Stores acoustic or visual stimuli for several seconds Information loss through decay / displacement Rehearsal Transfer Retrieval Long Term Memory Stores mainly semantic information for unlimited period Information loss through decay / retrieval failure / interference

KEY FEATURES OF THE MULTI-STORE MODEL: Three separate stores – what are they and how are they different? Different processes used to transfer information from one to the other Describes how information is lost from each store

Your Task Using the textbook (89 -91), work through the evaluation questions in your booklet Complete your table on strengths and weaknesses EXTENSION – work through the following past exam questions 1. Outline the key features of the multi-store model of memory 2. Outline one strength and one limitation of the multi-store model 3. Provide one piece of research to support the idea the STM and LTM are separate stores

The Multi-store Model – It can be good! Research support – HM case study – STM and LTM are different stores Peterson and Peterson – if rehearsal is prevented we forget information – so rehearsal is key in allowing information to transfer to the LTM Primacy and recency effect – remember the first words of a list and the last words of a list – forget the middle – again shows that STM and LTM are separate

However… What about the different strategies people employ to remember things? Some things might just be easier to remember… why? The MSM cannot account for this, it is too simplistic and inflexible.

How do we remember in STM? Rehearsal… Is this the only means of transfer to LTM? Cannot be because people acquire new information constantly without the need for conscious rehearsal. Levels of processing – remember more if more deeply processed semantically

Moreover… The MSM focuses on the structure of the memory rather than adequately explaining the processes… To change the visual stimuli ‘M’ to the acoustic version ‘em’ the individual needs to access knowledge about letter shapes and sounds which are stored where? What does this suggest?

KF - Shallice & Warrington (1972) Case study of a man who suffered damage to the left hemisphere of his brain as a result of a motocycle accident. STM for things he heard was poor, his memory for visual stimuli was much better. This suggests that there may be separate STM stores for auditory and visual information.

Working Memory Model Casts doubt on the assumption that STM is a single (unitary) store with a severely limited capacity – next lesson!!!