Psychology, Model of Memory
A Multi-Store Model of Mind
The Atkinson–Shiffrin model or the Multi-Store model is a model of memory that is broken down into sub-models of memory: the multi-memory model and the modal model. These are by Richard Atkinson and Richard Shriffrin. They used this to show the structure of memory. It explained that the human memory involves a sequence of three stages: • Sensory memory • Short-term memory • Long-term memory
The model of memory is an explanation of how memory processes work. You hear, see, and feel many things, but only a small number are remembered.
Sensory memory
The senses are limited in how they can store information about the world in a fairly unprocessed way for less than a second. The visual system has an iconic memory for visual stimuli such as shape, size, colour and location. The hearing system has echoic memory for auditory stimuli. Some have said that the freezing of visual input gives us a chance to choose what should go on for further memory processing. The existence of sensory memory has been experimentally demonstrated by Sperling (1960) using a tachistoscope.
Short-term memory
Information is held long enough for you to use it. For example looking up a telephone number and remembering it long enough so you can enter the numbers. Short-term memory lasts approximately between 15 and 30 seconds, unless people rehearse the material. Short-term memory also appears to mostly encode memory in terms of sound but can also retain images. However in many cases short-term memory can be at a semantic level. The short-term store you use for remembering something for up to 30 seconds has other uses. Instead of the memory system having to always pay attention to the environment to look for environmental changes, the short-term memory store separates the environment from the memory system. It also functions as a working memory in which alterations of information can occur. However, these manipulations are only temporary.
The Atkinson–Shiffrin model or the Multi-Store model is a model of memory that is broken down into sub-models of memory: the multi-memory model and the modal model. These are by Richard Atkinson and Richard Shriffrin. They used this to show the structure of memory. It explained that the human memory involves a sequence of three stages: • Sensory memory • Short-term memory • Long-term memory
The model of memory is an explanation of how memory processes work. You hear, see, and feel many things, but only a small number are remembered.
Sensory memory
The senses are limited in how they can store information about the world in a fairly unprocessed way for less than a second. The visual system has an iconic memory for visual stimuli such as shape, size, colour and location. The hearing system has echoic memory for auditory stimuli. Some have said that the freezing of visual input gives us a chance to choose what should go on for further memory processing. The existence of sensory memory has been experimentally demonstrated by Sperling (1960) using a tachistoscope.
Short-term memory
Information is held long enough for you to use it. For example looking up a telephone number and remembering it long enough so you can enter the numbers. Short-term memory lasts approximately between 15 and 30 seconds, unless people rehearse the material. Short-term memory also appears to mostly encode memory in terms of sound but can also retain images. However in many cases short-term memory can be at a semantic level. The short-term store you use for remembering something for up to 30 seconds has other uses. Instead of the memory system having to always pay attention to the environment to look for environmental changes, the short-term memory store separates the environment from the memory system. It also functions as a working memory in which alterations of information can occur. However, these manipulations are only temporary.