The Multi-Store Model of Memory

The Multi-Store Model of Memory

Description

- Sensory Register: large capacity, very short duration (milliseconds)

- Attention transfers information from sensory register to STM

- STM: limited capacity (5 items/chunks) so information decays, limited duration (a few minutes) unless rehearsal occurs

- Maintenance rehearsal eventually creates a LTM

- LTM: potentially unlimited capacity and duration, forgetting may be due to lack of accessibility

- Retrieval from LTM goes through STM

Strengths

STM/LTM difference supported by;

- Lab Studies (e.g. Jacobs, Miller, Peterson and Peterson, Bahrick, Baddeley)

- Brain Scans (e.g. Beardsley linked STM to prefrontal cortex, Squire et al linked LTM to hippocampus)

- Case Study of HM (linked formation of new LTMs to hippocampus by Scoville and Milner)

Weaknesses

- MSM is too simple as STM and LTM are not unitary stores

- LTM involves elaborative rather than just maintenance rehearsal

Further Evaluation

STM is not independent on LTM as Ruchkin et al showed that different brain activity for words and pseudo-words