Psychology - Multi-Store Model Of Memory

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Describe and evaluate the multi-store model of memory

In 1968 Atkinson and Shiffrin created a multi-store memory model, which explains how we remember, store and retrieve events which have happened to us.

This model is made up of three parts. The first part seeks to explain how information is taken into our brain via our sensory register. Every day, thousands of bits of information will enter our sensory register, however, if we do not pay attention to this information, it will be lost. For example, whilst in a lesson, we may not be paying attention to one of our senses, e.g. touch and how our arms feel on the table, but we will be concentrating and paying attention to another one of our senses, sound, and what the teacher is saying to us, so this gets transferred into our short term memory store.

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The second step in the multi-store model is transferring information from our limited short-term memory store (STM) to our long-term memory store (LTM). If the information in our short-term memory store is important enough to be rehearsed it will be transferred to our long-term memory store. Without rehearsal, the information will be forgotten, and therefore not transferred to our LTM store.

To remember and recall the memory, which has been transferred to our long-term store, all the brain has to do is retrieve it.  The act of retrieval is the third part of the model.

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