Overview of Memory Models in Psychology

Memory Unit Overview

• Tied to the cognitive approach in psychology.

Multi-Store Model (MSM) Overview

• Developers: Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968.
• Type: Information processing model, linear and passive.
• Stores:
  • Sensory Register
  • Short-term Memory (STM)
  • Long-term Memory (LTM)
• Features: Coding, capacity, duration

Sensory Register

• Coding: Modality specific (depends on the sense organ).
• Capacity: Very large, potentially unlimited.
• Duration: Very short, approximately 250 milliseconds.
• Process:
  • Information moves to STM through attention.
  • Unattended information is lost.

Short-term Memory (STM)

• Coding: Acoustic.
• Capacity: 7 items ± 2.
• Duration: 18 to 30 seconds.
• Process:
  • Information moves to LTM through rehearsal (maintenance or elaborative).
  • Information not transferred is lost (displacement or decay).

Long-term Memory (LTM)

• Coding: Semantic (meaningful connections).
• Capacity and Duration: Very large, potentially unlimited.

Research Evidence

• Glanzer (1966): Primacy and recency effect suggests separate LTM and STM processes.
• Spearling's Study: Demonstrated large capacity of sensory register.
• Baddeley's Study: Coded STM as acoustic and LTM as semantic.
• Jacobs' Study: Capacity of STM around 7 to 9 items.
• Peterson & Peterson: Duration of STM (18-30 seconds).

Evaluation of Multi-Store Model

• Strengths:
  • Supported by research findings.
  • Provides clear distinctions between memory types.
• Criticisms:
  • Artificial test conditions (lack ecological validity and mundane realism).
  • Simplistic view of memory (unitary and passive).
  • Face validity issues (e.g., taste and smell memories).
  • Inferences about processes could be incorrect.

Additional Points

• Research settings differ from real-life memory usage.
• Evolutionary theory supports sensory register's capacity and duration for survival.
• Changes in memory capacity over a lifetime and with practice.

Conclusion

• Future videos will cover types of long-term memory.
• Encourage reviewing resources and practice exam questions.