Models of Memory

The multi store model of memory is an explanation on how memory works. This was developed and designed by Atkinson and Shiffrin. They believed that memory was made up of three stores. These stores are the sensory memory, the short term memory and long term memory. One of the main features they developed was the fact that they thought memory worked in a linear fashion for example information has to travel through one store to get to the next.

Information first enters the memory store by there being an environmental stimulus. This information enters the sensory memory. If this information is paid attention to it travels from the sensory memory to the short term memory. To stop the information decaying and leaving the short term memory you need to rehearse it. For it to be able to travel to the long term memory you need to elaborately rehearse it.

The working memory model looks at one aspect of memory, the short term. There are four parts to the Working Memory Model. These are the central executive, the phonological loop, the visuo-spatial sketchpad and the episodic buffer.