I finished my psychology A-level last year with an A*. I have compiled a list of improvised essays I done as mocks and each of these essays fall into band 4 (13-16 marks)
Describe and evaluate the multi‐
store model of memory. Refer to
evidence in your answer. (16
marks)
The multi-store model (MSM), put forth by Atkinson and Shiffrin in 1968, suggests that
memory is divided into three parts: the sensory register (SR), short-term memory
(STM), and long-term memory (LTM). According to the model, information travels
linearly from one component to the next as memories are generated. Through our
senses, such as hearing or sight, information enters the sensory register. Less than one
second is the very short time frame for the sensory register. The STM, which has a
restricted capacity of 7+/2 "chunks" of information and a limited period of roughly 20
seconds, receives information that is attended to. Our STM uses an auditory format to
encode information. Then, practised data is moved to LTM, which has an endless
capacity and a lifetime length. Semantically coded information can be retrieved from
LTM and transferred to STM as needed.
The story of Clive Wearing, who caught a virus that produced acute amnesia, provides
evidence in favour of the MSM (memory loss). After the virus, Wearing could only retain
details for 20–30 seconds, although he was still able to recollect details from the past,
such as the name of his wife. Additionally, Wearing was unable to transfer data from his
STM to his LTM, but he was successful in retrieving some data. According to Wearing's
instance, memories are created by linearly transferring information from one store to the
next. Memory loss might result from injury to any region of the MSM.
While the Clive Wearing case supports the MSM, other case studies challenge it. For
example, the instance of patient KF, who sustained injuries while riding a motorcycle.
KF was able to recollect knowledge from his LTM after the accident, but his STM was
having problems. KF could recall people and other visual imagery fairly well, but she
had trouble recalling sounds (acoustic information). This shows that STM has at least
two components—one for visual information and one for acoustic information—and that
the MSM may give an unduly simplistic explanation of STM. The MSM is also supported
by psychological research. For instance, Bahrick (1975) supports the idea of a lifetime
Describe and evaluate the multi‐store model of memory. Refer to evidence in your answer. (16 marks) 1
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