Multi-Store Model Of Memory - Outline

Multi Store Model consists of 3 main parts - 

• Sensory Memory

Holds up info within fraction of a second after a physical stimulus

• Short-Term Memory

Temporary storage of info

Capacity of a STM (the amount of information that coran be sted in STM an any one time)

Can be measured by identifying immediate digit span (how many digits you can repeat in correct order immediately after hearing). As defined by Miller digit span of most people is 7+/-2. 

But may be forming chunks of info, such that 1 9 9 6 maybe just 4 different digits for someone while for others it is 1996 a single unit of info as it was their birthday year. 

Factors affecting the capacity of STM

- Long-term memory influence - If a digit span is repeated over and over again in series of trial it becomes easier for participants to recall it as it becomes part of LTM. So it is difficult to use immediate digit span in order to measure the STM capacity

- Reading aloud - When people read the digits aloud it helps them to improve perfomance compare to reading it to themselves subvocally

- Rhytmic Grouping - perfomance also increases when the person devides the digits rhytmically, that's probably why we usually rhyme phone numbers rather than remembering the whole digit string individually

-Pronunciation time - Rather than measure the Capacity of STM by immdiate digit span other researchers suggested that it's better to use the pronunciation time and found out that people's capacity was around 2 seconds of prononciation time. That could explain why some nations…