The multi-store model of memory: sensory register, short-term memory and long-term memory. Features of each store: coding, capacity and duration.
Types of long-term memory: episodic, semantic, procedural.
The working memory model: central executive, phonological loop, visuo-spatial sketchpad and ...
Limited (7+/-2 ‘chunks’ of
CAPACITY Very large Unlimited
information)
DURATION Very limited (milliseconds) Limited (18-30 seconds) Lifetime/Years
CODING Modality specific Acoustic (Sound) Semantic (Meaning)
Evaluation of the MSM
There are different types of LTM, as proposed by Tuvling et al i.e. procedural, semantic and episodic.
- The MSM does not represent this because it sees LTM as a single, unitary store.
- This also does not represent that some types of LTM can be retrieved unconsciously (e.g.
procedural) whilst others must be retrieved consciously (e.g. semantic).
The MSM acknowledges the qualitative differences between STM and LTM
- By representing them as separate stores. For example, STM is encoded acoustically, whilst
LTM is encoded semantically and has a much longer duration.
, - Therefore, the MSM portrays an accurate view of the differences between the two types of
memory, as supported by Baddeley and Miller.
— The MSM incorrectly represents STM as a single, unitary store.
- For example, Shallice and Warrington found that their amnesiac patient KF had poor STM
recall for auditory stimuli, but increasingly accurate recall for visual stimuli.
- This, alongside KF being able to differentiate and recall both verbal and non-verbal sounds,
suggests that there may be multiple types of STM.
Research on coding (Baddeley)
Once info gets into the memory system, it is stored in different formats depending on the memory
store.
The process of converting info from one form to another is called coding.
Baddeley (1966) – gave different lists of words to four groups of participants to remember:
Group 1 – acoustically similar (e.g. Cat, cab, can, etc)
Group 2 – acoustically dissimilar (e.g. Pit, few, cow, etc)
Group 3 – semantically similar (e.g. Great, large, big, etc)
Group 4 – semantically dissimilar (e.g. Good, huge, hot, etc)
Findings:
- When participants had to recall the list of words immediately after hearing them (STM
recall), they tended to do worse with acoustically similar words
- When asked to recall after a time interval of 20 mins (LTM recall), they did worse with the
semantically similar words
This suggests that info is coded semantically in LTM
Evaluation of Baddeley’s study
Artificial Stimuli
- Material was not meaningful to participants
- Therefore must be cautious about generalising the findings to different kinds of memory task
- E.g. When processing more meaningful info, people may use semantic coding even for STM
tasks
- This suggests that the findings from this study have limited application
Research on Capacity (Jacobs)
Q: How much info can STM hold at any one time, i.e. What is its capacity?
Jacobs (1887) developed a technique to measure digit span. The researcher gives, for e.g. 4
digits and then the participant is required to recall these in the correct order. If correct,
increases to 5 digits, etc until the participant cannot recall the order correctly. This determines
the individual’s digit span.
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card or Stuvia-credit for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller aliciarosegallo. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for $5.18. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
