The multi-store model, reductionism and holism

Overview

Atkinson and Shiffrin's sensory register, short-term and long-term stores, attention and rehearsal, the evidence from amnesia and serial position, and reductionist and holistic explanations.

What you need to know

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Questions from this subtopic

Each one with the model answer underneath.

1. 1

   What does Atkinson and Shiffrin's multi-store model of memory propose?

   Model answer

   Atkinson and Shiffrin proposed that memory has three separate stores. Information flows from the sensory register to short-term memory and then to long-term memory.

2. 2

   What is the sensory register?

   Model answer

   The sensory register holds information from the senses for under about two seconds. Each sense has its own store, such as iconic memory for vision.

3. 3

   What role does attention play in the multi-store model?

   Model answer

   Attention moves information from the sensory register into short-term memory. Information that is not attended to fades and is lost.

4. 4

   What role does rehearsal play in the multi-store model?

   Model answer

   Rehearsal keeps information active in short-term memory. Enough rehearsal transfers the information into long-term memory.

5. 5

   According to the multi-store model, what happens when short-term memory is full?

   Model answer

   New items push out older items, and the older items are forgotten. The multi-store model calls this displacement.

6. 6

   How does the multi-store model explain forgetting from short-term memory over time?

   Model answer

   Information that is not rehearsed fades away through decay. The model predicts this loss within about 18 to 30 seconds.

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