Psychology · Year 11 · Memory and Cognition · 1.º Período

Structures of Memory

An examination of the Multi-store model of memory, focusing on sensory, short-term, and long-term memory stores. Students will evaluate the capacity and duration of each store.

TL;DR:This topic focuses on the Multi-store model (MSM) of memory, a cornerstone of cognitive psychology. Students learn to distinguish between the sensory register, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). The curriculum requires a deep dive into the specific characteristics of each store, including their capacity, duration, and how information is coded. This model provides a structural framework that helps students understand the flow of information through the human mind.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• AQA GCSE Psychology 3.1.1.3 Structures of memory
• AQA GCSE Psychology 3.1.1.4 Memory experiments

About This Topic

This topic focuses on the Multi-store model (MSM) of memory, a cornerstone of cognitive psychology. Students learn to distinguish between the sensory register, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM). The curriculum requires a deep dive into the specific characteristics of each store, including their capacity, duration, and how information is coded. This model provides a structural framework that helps students understand the flow of information through the human mind.

Understanding the MSM is vital for Year 11s as it introduces the importance of rehearsal and attention in learning. It also sets the stage for critical evaluation, as students must identify the limitations of a linear model. This topic benefits from active modelling where students physically represent the movement of data between stores, helping them visualise the 'bottleneck' of short-term memory.

Key Questions

1. What are the features of short-term memory?
2. How does information transfer to long-term memory?
3. What are the limitations of the Multi-store model?

Watch Out for These Misconceptions

Common Misconception

Short-term memory and long-term memory are the same thing.

What to Teach Instead

They differ significantly in capacity and duration. Active simulations where students see the 'overflow' of a limited STM store compared to the vastness of LTM help clarify these distinct boundaries.

Common Misconception

Information stays in the sensory register for several minutes.

What to Teach Instead

Sensory memory lasts only a fraction of a second. Using a quick-fire visual task where images disappear instantly helps students realise that without immediate attention, information is lost almost immediately.

Active Learning Ideas

Simulation Game

The Human Multi-Store Model

Students take on roles as 'Sensory Register', 'STM', and 'LTM'. They must pass 'data' (coloured tokens) between them based on specific rules: the STM can only hold 7 tokens and must 'rehearse' them (toss them in the air) to keep them, or they are 'lost' (dropped).

30 min·Whole Class

Inquiry Circle

Capacity and Duration Tests

In small groups, students conduct the Peterson and Peterson task (duration of STM) and Miller's digit span test (capacity). They collect their own data and compare it to the original findings to evaluate the reliability of the MSM.

40 min·Small Groups

Gallery Walk

Evaluating the MSM

Posters around the room highlight different criticisms of the MSM, such as the role of 'flashbulb memories' or the oversimplified nature of rehearsal. Students move in pairs to rank these criticisms from 'most damaging' to 'least damaging' to the theory.

25 min·Pairs

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the capacity of short-term memory?

According to Miller, the capacity of short-term memory is approximately 7 items, plus or minus 2. However, this can be increased through 'chunking', which involves grouping small bits of information into larger, meaningful units.

How does information move from STM to LTM?

In the Multi-store model, the primary mechanism is prolonged rehearsal. The more an item is repeated in the short-term store, the more likely it is to be transferred into the long-term store for permanent storage.

What are the main criticisms of the Multi-store model?

Critics argue the model is too simplistic. It suggests that LTM is a single store, whereas research shows different types of LTM (like procedural and episodic). It also relies too heavily on rehearsal as the only way to learn.

What are the best hands-on strategies for teaching the Multi-store model?

Physical simulations are highly effective. Having students act as the different stores and 'losing' information when they aren't paying attention or when their 'capacity' is full makes the theoretical limits of the MSM much easier to grasp. These active strategies help students move from memorising the model to truly understanding its mechanics.