Summary A-level AQA Psychology Memory: Multi Store Model Revision Notes

Memory – Capacity
The Multi-Store Model of Memory (MSM)
Atkinson & Shiffrin (1968)
The model (theory) states that information passes in a linear way and that memory is broken down
into 3 unitary stores:




There are differences in the:
 Capacity = the amount of information that can be stored
 Encoding = the format the information is stored
 Duration = the amount of time it’s stored for

The Digit Span study – Jacobs 1887:
AIM-
 to test the capacity of short term memory (STM)
PROCEDURE-
 Participants were given a series of unrelated digits/letters.
 These increased by one each time and asked to recall them immediately after, they could
only move on if they were correct.
 The digit span was measured at the point where they could no longer recall the
digits/letters in the correct sequence.
RESULTS-
 The mean span for digits was 9.3, and for letters it was 7.3.
CONCLUSION-
 The capacity for the STM is 7+-2 items
 The STM has a limited capacity

Evaluation of Digit Span Study:
Strengths Weaknesses
 Lab study:  Demand characteristics
↘︎controlled (standardised procedures)  Artificial
 Supported by Miller ↘︎low ecological validity