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Introduction

Describe and evaluate the multi store model of memory The multi-store model was developed by Shiffrin and Atkinson in 1968, it explains how information flows from one storage system to another, with three permanent structures in memory (sensory memory, short term memory, and long term memory). The sensory memory receives information from our senses, the information that we gain only lasts about ¼ of a second but If it is paid attention to then it will pass on to the short term memory. Short term memory is an active memory system containing information currently being thought about. It is a temporary storage of information received from the Sensory memory. Encoding in the short term memory (how we process the information) is mainly acoustic and based on sounds. Baddeley completed a research study that found acoustically similar words were more difficult to recall than words which were acoustically different. ...read more.

Middle

and memory only lasted 18 seconds, as rehearsal retains material within the short term memory loop, until eventually it becomes a permanent feature of the long term memory. The studies that were carried out for the short term memory were all carried out in a lab, to ensure control over extraneous variables and so the findings don?t really apply in an outside setting, also most memory experiments were carried out on students, and is difficult to suggest that all people will use memory in a similar way. The long term memory involves the storage of information over extended periods of time, potentially a whole lifetime. Forgetting from long term memory may not occur due to loss of information, but rather to problems in retrieving memory traces. Storage of information longer than 30seconds counts as long term memory. ...read more.

Conclusion

Items in the long term memory have a longer duration if originally well learned and certain forms of information have a longer duration like information based on skills rather than just facts. The three areas of the long term memory show that it is difficult to see how smells and tastes could be encoded semantically and reason suggests that songs must be encoded acoustically, supporting the idea of several forms of encoding in the long term memory. Also diary studies which are used in capacity studies are a type of case study and therefore are not representative of the general population. There is strong evidence to support the components of the multi-store model and it provides an account of memory in terms of both structure and process. The structures are the three stores and the processes are attentio0n and verbal rehearsal. However it is reductionist (oversimplifies memory structures and processes). And has been criticised for focusing too much on structure and too little on process. ...read more.

This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our AS and A Level Cognitive Psychology section.