The Multi-Store Memory Model

Overview of the Multi-Store Memory Model (MSMM)

  • The Multi-Store Memory Model (MSMM), presented by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968), explains the structure and flow of information within our memory system.
  • The model suggests the memory consists of sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory in connected hierarchical systems.

Sensory Memory

  • Sensory memory holds information from the sensory organs just long enough to be recognised, typically fractions of a second.
  • It is divided into the auditory store (memory for sounds), iconic store (visual), and haptic store (touch).

Short-Term Memory (STM)

  • Information is transferred from the sensory memory to short-term memory (STM) through the process of attention.
  • STM has a storage capacity of up to 5-9 items and can hold information for about 18-30 seconds without rehearsal.
  • This brief holding store is further understood as providing a workspace for mental computations before transferring data to long-term memory or discarding it.

Long-Term Memory (LTM)

  • Information is transferred from STM to long-term memory (LTM) via rehearsal.
  • Information held in LTM can be stored for extended periods of time, from several minutes to a lifetime.
  • LTM is subdivided into declarative (explicit) memory, including semantic (fact) and episodic (personal experiences) memories, and procedural (implicit) memory.

Key Features of the Model

  • Rehearsal is vital to retaining information in STM and encoding into LTM.
  • Forgotten memories according to this model are due to decay in STM or lack of retrieval cues in LTM.
  • This model suggests that the memory is not a single unitary system but a collection of multiple systems.
  • It also suggests that different STM and LTM systems are qualitatively different in terms of capacity and duration.

Evaluation of the Model

  • Evidence supporting MSMM: Studies have found that people often forget items at the end of a list when asked to recall after a short time (recency effect) but remember items from the start (primacy effect). This supports the model’s idea that items are transferred from STM to LTM.
  • Criticisms of MSMM: The model is criticised for being overly simplistic. Memory processes like perception, rehearsal, and retrieval are complex involving different regions of the brain, not simply separate stores.

For a more comprehensive understanding, other models like the Working Memory Model are also explored and compared against the MSMM.