Short Term Memory

Ms. Javeria Nasir

“Memory is the means by which we draw on our past experiences
in order to use this information in the present’ (Sternberg, 1999)

“Memory is the process of maintaining information over time.”

(Matlin, 2005)
Stages of Memory

Encoding Storage Retrieval

 Encoding

• When information comes into our memory system (from sensory input), it needs to be
changed into a form that the system can cope with, so that it can be stored.

• A word which is seen (in a book) may be stored if it is changed (encoded) into a sound or a
meaning.

• There are three main ways in which information can be encoded (changed) and stored in
the brain:

1. Visual (picture)
2. Acoustic (sound)
3. Semantic (meaning)
Storage refers to how you retain/ maintain encoded
information in memory.
Storage of memory determines whether it can be
recalled for later use.

Retrieval refers to how you gain access to and

recollect information stored in memory.
Multistore Model Of Memory
by Atkinson And Shiffrin

• The multistore model of memory (also known as the modal model) was
proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) and is a structural model.

They proposed that memory consisted of three stores:

• Sensory memory
• Short-term memory (STM)
• Long-term memory (LTM)
• The Sensory store was capable of storing relatively limited amounts of information
for very brief period.

• The Short-term store was capable of storing information for somewhat longer
periods but of relatively limited capacity as well.

• The Long-term store had a very large capacity and was capable of storing
information for very long periods, perhaps even indefinitely.

• Each store has its own characteristics in terms of encoding, capacity and duration.
SENSORY MEMORY

Duration: ¼ to ½ second

Capacity: all sensory experience

Encoding: sense specific (e.g.

different stores for each sense)
SHORT TERM MEMORY

Duration: 0-18 seconds

Capacity: 7 +/- 2 items

Encoding: mainly auditory

LONG TERM MEMORY

Duration: Unlimited

Capacity: Unlimited

Encoding: Mainly Semantic (but can be visual

and auditory
STM And Its Capacity

There are two ways in which capacity is tested;

REC
ENC
SPA
Y
N
EFFE
CT
 The Span of STM

Magic number 7- Miller (1956)

• The Magic number 7 (plus or minus two) provides evidence

for the capacity of short term memory. Most adults can store
between 5 and 9 items in their short-term memory.

• Miller thought that short term memory could hold 7 (plus or

minus 2 items) because it only had a certain number of
“slots” in which items could be stored.

• However, Miller didn’t specify the amount of information that

can be held in each slot. Indeed, if we can “chunk”
information together we can store a lot more information in
our short term memory.
 When asked to recall a list of items
in any order (free recall), people
tend to begin recall with the end of
the list, recalling those items best

Recency
(the recency effect).

Effect
Among earlier list items, the first
few items are recalled more
frequently than the middle items
(the primacy effect)
“Chunking” increases the
capacity of STM. The term
refers to the process of
taking individual pieces of
information (chunks) and
grouping them into larger
units
WORKING
MEMORY
• Building on Atkinson’s and Shiffrin’s (1968) multi-store model research, Baddeley
and Hitch (1974) developed an alternative model of short-term memory which they
called working memory.

• Baddeley and Hitch (1974) argue that the picture of short-term memory (STM)
provided by the Multi-Store Model is far too simple.

• According to the Multi-Store Model, STM holds limited amounts of information for
short periods of time with relatively little processing. It is a unitary system. This
means it is a single system (or store) without any subsystems. Working Memory is
not a unitary store.
• Working memory is short-term memory. Instead of all information going
into one single store, there are different systems for different types of
information.

• The model proposes that every component of working memory has a

limited capacity, and also that the components are relatively
independent of each other.
 Central Executive
• Drives the whole system. (the boss
of working memory) and allocates
data to the subsystems: the
phonological loop and the visuo-
spatial sketch pad.
• It also deals with cognitive tasks
such as mental arithmetic and
problem solving.
Visuo-Spatial Sketchpad
• (inner eye)
• Stores and processes information in a
visual or spatial form.
• The VSS is used for navigation.
Phonological Loop
• Part of working memory that deals
with spoken and written material.
It can be used to remember a
phone number.
• It consists of two parts;
1. Phonological Store
2. Articulatory control process
 Phonological Store Articulatory control process

• (inner ear) • (inner voice)

• Linked to speech perception • Linked to speech production.

• Holds information in speech-based form • Used to rehearse and store verbal

(i.e. spoken words) for 1-2 seconds. information from the phonological
store.
This system temporarily holds
and manipulates information as
we perform cognitive tasks.

Concept of Working Memory also

challenges the concept of STM
having capacity of 7 items. It
suggests that span of memory is
determined by the speed with
which we process information