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Multi-Store Memory Model: Search

Atkinson And Shiffrin

By Saul Mcleod, PhD Updated on June 16, 2023

Reviewed by Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

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Vygotsky's Socio-
cultural Theory
of Cognitive D…
velopment
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Operational
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What is the Multi-Store Model? opment

Episodic Memo-
The multi-store model is an explanation of memory proposed by Atkinson
ry: Definition &
and Shiffrin which assumes there are three unitary (separate) memory
Examples
stores, and that information is transferred between these stores in a linear Read More
sequence.

The three main stores are the sensory memory, short-term memory (STM)
and long-term memory (LTM).

Each of the memory stores differs in the way information is processed

(encoding), how much information can be stored (capacity), and for how
long (duration).

Information passes from store to store in a linear way, and has been
described as an information processing model (like a computer) with an
input, process and output.

Information is detected by the sense organs and enters the sensory memory,
which stores a fleeting impression of sensory stimuli. If attended to this
information enters the STM and if the information is given meaning
(elaborative rehearsal) it is passed on to the LTM

The multi-store model of memory (also known as the modal model) was
proposed by Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin (1968) and is a structural
model. They proposed that memory consisted of three stores: a sensory
register, short-term memory (STM) and long-term memory (LTM).

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Table of Contents
1. The Memory Stores
2. Sensory Memory
3. Short Term Memory
4. Long Term Memory
5. Key Studies
6. Critical Evaluation
7. References

The Memory Stores

Each store is a unitary structure and has its own characteristics in terms of Recommended
encoding, capacity and duration.

Vygotsky's Socio-
Encoding is the way information is changed so that it can be stored in the cultural Theory
memory. There are three main ways in which information can be encoded of Cognitive D…
(changed): velopment

1. visual (picture),
Piaget's Concrete
2. acoustic (sound), Operational
Stage Stage of…
3. semantic (meaning). Cognitive Devel-
opment
Capacity concerns how much information can be stored.

Duration refers to the period of time information can last in the memory
stores.

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···

Sensory Memory
• Duration: ¼ to ½ second

• Capacity: all sensory experience (v. larger capacity)

• Encoding: sense specific (e.g. different stores for each sense)

The sensory stores are constantly receiving information but most of this
receives no attention and remains in the sensory register for a very brief
period.

In the sensory memory store, information arrives from the 5 senses such as
sight (visual information), sounds and touch. The sensory memory store has a
large capacity but a very brief duration, it can encode information from any of
the senses and most of the information is lost through decay.

Attention is the first step in remembering something, if a person’s attention is

focused on one of the sensory stores then the data is transferred to STM.

Short Term Memory Recommended

• Duration: 0-18 seconds
Episodic Memo-
• Capacity: 7 +/- 2 items ry: Definition &
Examples
• Encoding: mainly auditory

The short-term memory store has a duration of up to 30 seconds, has a

capacity of 7+/-2 chunks and mainly encodes information acoustically. Peterson and Pe-
Information is lost through displacement or decay. terson Experi-
ment: Duratio…
Maintenance rehearsal is the process of verbally or mentally repeating of Short-term
information, which allows the duration of short-term memory to be extended Memory
beyond 30 seconds. An example of maintenance rehearsal would be
remembering a phone number only long enough to make the phone call.

This type of rehearsal usually involves repeating information without thinking

about its meaning or connecting it to other information.

Continual rehearsal “regenerates” or “renews” the information in the memory

trace, thus making it a stronger memory when transferred to the Long Term
store.

···
···

If maintenance rehearsal (repetition) does not occur, then information is

forgotten, and lost from short term memory through the processes of
displacement or decay.

Long Term Memory

• Duration: Unlimited

• Capacity: Unlimited

• Encoding: Mainly Semantic (but can be visual and auditory)

Long-term memory store has unlimited capacity and duration and encodes
information semantically. Information can be recalled from LTM back into the
STM when it is needed.

If the information is given meaning (elaborative rehearsal) it is passed on to

the LTM.

Elaborative rehearsal involves the process of linking new information in a

meaningful way with information already stored in long-term memory. For
example,

you could learn the lines in a play by relating the dialogue and behavior of your
character to similar personal experiences you remember.

Elaborative rehearsal is more effective than maintenance rehearsal for

remembering new information as it helps to ensure that information is
encoded well. It is a deeper level of information-processing.

Key Studies Recommended

Glial Cells Types

and Functions

Kohlberg's
Stages of Moral
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Glanzer and Cunitz showed that when participants are presented with a list of
words, they tend to remember the first few and last few words and are more
likely to forget those in the middle of the list, i.e. the serial position effect.

This supports the existence of separate LTM and STM stores because they
observed a primacy and recency effect.

···
···

Words early on in the list were put into long term memory (primacy effect)
because the person has time to rehearse the word, and words from the end
went into short term memory (recency effect).

Other compelling evidence to support this distinction between STM and LTM
is the case of KF (Shallice & Warrington, 1977) who had been in a motorcycle
crash where he had sustained brain damage.

His LTM seemed to be unaffected but he was only able to recall the last bit of
information he had heard in his STM.

Critical Evaluation
Strengths

One strength of the multistore model is that is gives us a good understanding of

the structure and process of the STM. This is good because this allows
researchers to expand on this model.

This means researchers can do experiments to improve on this model and

make it more valid and they can prove what the stores actually do. Therefore,
the model is influential as it has generated a lot of research into memory.

Many memory studies provide evidence to support the distinction between

STM and LTM (in terms of encoding, duration and capacity). The model can
account for primacy & recency effects.

The case of HM also supports the MSM as he was unable to encode new long-
term memories after surgery during which his hippocampus was removed but
his STM was unaffected.

He has remembered little of personal (death of mother and father) or public

events (Watergate, Vietnam War) that have occurred over the last 45 years.
However his short-term memory remains intact.This supports the view that the
LTM and the STM are two separate stores.

Weaknesses

The model is oversimplified, in particular when it suggests that both short-

term and long-term memory each operate in a single, uniform fashion. We
now know is this not the case.

It has now become apparent that both short-term and long-term memory are
more complicated that previously thought. For example, the Working Model of
Memory proposed by Baddeley and Hitch (1974) showed that short term
memory is more than just one simple unitary store and comprises different
components (e.g. central executive, Visuospatial etc.).

···
···

In the case of long-term memory, it is unlikely that different kinds of

knowledge, such as remembering how to play a computer game, the rules of
subtraction and remembering what we did yesterday are all stored within a
single, long-term memory store.

Indeed different types of long-term memory have been identified, namely

episodic (memories of events), procedural (knowledge of how to do things) and
semantic (general knowledge).

Rehearsal is considered a too simple explanation to account for the transfer of

information from STM to LTM. For instance, the model ignores factors such as
motivation, effect and strategy (e.g. mnemonics) which underpin learning.

Also, rehearsal is not essential to transfer information into LTM. For example,
why are we able to recall information which we did not rehearse (e.g.
swimming) yet unable to recall information which we have rehearsed (e.g.
reading your notes while revising).

Therefore, the role of rehearsal as a means of transferring from STM to LTM is

much less important than Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) claimed in their model.

The models main emphasis was on structure and tends to neglect the process
elements of memory (e.g. it only focuses on attention and maintenance
rehearsal). For example, elaboration rehearsal leads to recall of information
than just maintenance rehearsal.

Elaboration rehearsal involves a more meaningful analysis (e.g. images,

thinking, associations etc.) of information and leads to better recall. For
example, giving words a meaning or linking them with previous knowledge.
These limitations are dealt with by the levels of processing model (Craik, &
Lockhart, 1972).

Note: although rehearsal was initially described by Atkinson and Shiffrin as

maintenance rehearsal (repetition of information), Shiffrin later suggested that
rehearsal could be elaborative (Raaijmakers, & Shiffrin, 2003).

The multi store model has been criticized for being a passive/one way/linear
model.

References
Atkinson, R. C., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1968). Chapter: Human memory: A
proposed system and its control processes. In Spence, K. W., & Spence, J. T.
The psychology of learning and motivation (Volume 2). New York: Academic
Press. pp. 89–195.

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Baddeley, A .D., & Hitch, G. (1974). Working memory. In G.H. Bower (Ed.),
The psychology of learning and motivation: Advances in research and theory
(Vol. 8, pp. 47–89). New York: Academic Press.

Craik, F. I. M., & Lockhart, R. S. (1972). Levels of processing: A framework for

memory research. Journal of Verbal Learning and Verbal behavior, 11, 671-
684.

Raaijmakers, J.G.W. & Shiffrin, R.M. (2003). Models versus descriptions: Real
differences and langiage differences. behavioral and Brain Sciences, 26, 753.

Shallice, T., & Warrington, E. K. (1977). Auditory-verbal short-term memory

impairment and conduction aphasia. Brain and Language, 4(4), 479-491.

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Reviewer Author

Olivia Guy-Evans, MSc

BSc (Hons) Psychology, MSc Psychology of Education
Associate Editor for Simply Psychology

Olivia Guy-Evans is a writer and associate editor for Simply Psychology. She has
previously worked in healthcare and educational sectors.

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