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‘Outline and evaluate the multi store model of memory’ (16 marks)
Atkinson and Shiffrin proposed the multistore model (MSM) of memory which suggest that
memory is divided into 3 components: the sensory register (SR), short term memory (STM)
and long term memory (LTM). The model proposes that memories are formed sequentially
and information passes from one component to the next in a linear fashion. Information
enters the SR via out senses such as sound and sight. Information is then passed onto STM
which has a limited capacity of 7 +/- 2 chunks of information and a limited duration of
approximately 20 seconds. Information in our STM is encoded acoustically and when
rehearsed, it transfers into the LTM in where it is encoded semantically and can be accessed
and retrieved from LTM into STM when required. Forgetting information in the STM is due
to lack of availability to store more information whereas forgetting information in the LTM is
due to harder accessibility of information.
One advantage of the MSM is that there is supporting research that the STM and LTM are
separate memory stores. For example, Baddeley conducted a study to understand how
different types of encoding impact memory and when asked to retrieve something from
STM, acoustically dissimilar words were more likely to be remembered than acoustically
similar and semantic encoding had no effect whereas when retrieving something from LTM,
it was semantic which had impacted memory and acoustic had no impact. Therefore this
proves that the two memory stores are different in the way they function and how they’re
used and in turn increasing the academic credibility to the model.
Another advantage is that there is real life applications of the theory in support of the MSM.
For example, a brain damaged patient named HM had only had some of his memories intact
as he could remember things that had happened pre-accident showing that the LTM was
still intact whereas he couldn’t remember anything that happens after the accident showing
that his STM was damaged. Therefore, this proves that there is a separate divide in the
function of LTM and STM thus increasing the external reliability of the model. However, a
disadvantage of the MSM is that using case studies such as HM is that these are rare
occurrences which cannot be tested on a wider scale because it would be unethical to
damage a large sample of people’s brain to see if they have the same results as HM.
Therefore this means that in HM’s case, this may have been a case of individual differences
in the way his body reacted to trauma in the brain which in turn makes it harder to
generalise his results for a larger population thus reducing the internal validity of the theory.
Another advantage of knowledge on the MSM is that due to research of encoding into the
LTM, we can now use this practically into real life scenarios. For example, when revising for
exams we are now aware that rehearsal can allow for information to be stored into LTM and
encoded with semantic meaning which therefore means that we can alter the way we revise
for exams to be more efficient in storing information into LTM. This in turn allows for
students to have a chance at being able to revise better for exams and retrieving more
content during it, having a positive impact on them.
However, a disadvantage of research examining the MSM is that it is a clear example of
experimental reductionism. This is because it attempts to explain a complex behaviour by
relying on isolated variables, operationalised in laboratory experiments such as the capacity
, of STM, or duration of STM. However, as memory is a complex phenomenon, many
psychologists argue that reducing memory to isolated variables undermines the complexity
of human memory and therefore does not provide us with a comprehensive understanding
of memory in everyday contexts. This in turn means that the model is oversimplistic and
needs to consider alternative models such as the working memory model which delves into
the divisions of the STM.
- Can also talk about lab conditions for Baddeley – high IV low EV
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