Utilizing Long-Term Memory and Its Role in Defining Our Identity
### Multi-Store Model of Memory: A Comprehensive Overview
The multi-store model of memory, first proposed by psychologists Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin in 1968, provides a framework for understanding how our memories work [1]. This model describes memory as a system comprising three distinct stores: the sensory register, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM) [1][2].
The **sensory register** serves as the initial gateway, briefly holding a large amount of sensory information from the environment for just a fraction of a second up to a few seconds [1][4]. This storage is characterized by high capacity but very short duration [1]. Transition from the sensory register into STM occurs only when the information receives attention [1][4].
Once information is attended to, it enters **short-term memory**. STM has limited capacity (traditionally considered to be about 7±2 items) and a short duration (approximately 15–30 seconds without rehearsal) [1]. Information in STM is primarily encoded acoustically [1]. To keep information in STM, **maintenance rehearsal** (repetition) is used. Without rehearsal, information is lost through decay or displacement [1]. If information is rehearsed enough, it can be transferred to long-term memory [1].
**Long-term memory** is the system for storing information over extended periods, potentially for a lifetime. Its capacity is enormous, and information is primarily encoded semantically (by meaning) [1]. To use information in LTM, **retrieval** must occur, bringing information back into STM (working memory) for conscious use [3]. Information in LTM is relatively stable, though forgetting can still occur due to interference or lack of retrieval cues [3].
A summary table outlines the processes and transitions in the multi-store model:
| Memory Store | Duration | Capacity | Encoding | Transition Process | |-------------------|-----------------|-----------------|-------------------|---------------------------------| | Sensory Register | <1 sec (iconic); 2–4 sec (echoic) | Very large | Modality-specific (visual, auditory, etc.) | **Attention** (selected info moves to STM) | | Short-Term Memory | 15–30 sec (if not rehearsed) | Limited (7±2 items) | Acoustic (primarily) | **Rehearsal** (info moves to LTM if rehearsed) | | Long-Term Memory | Up to a lifetime | Very large | Semantic (primarily) | **Retrieval** (enters STM when needed) |
Key concepts in the multi-store model include the role of attention, rehearsal, retrieval, forgetting, and coding [1][3]. Attention is the gateway between sensory register and STM, while rehearsal governs the transition from STM to LTM. Retrieval brings information from LTM back into STM for use. Forgetting occurs at each stage if transitions are not successfully completed. Coding involves sensory (modality-specific) for the sensory register, acoustic for STM, and semantic for LTM [1].
Although the multi-store model simplifies memory as a linear, sequential process, it remains foundational, outlining how information flows from sensory input through attention, rehearsal, and finally into long-term storage [1][3][4]. The model considers factors such as color blindness to ensure accessibility in visual representations of memory stores [8]. A diagram accompanying the discussion shows the relationships between the three memory stores and the activities or events that "progress" memories [7].
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References:
1. Atkinson, R. C., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1968). Human Memory: A Proposed System and its Control Processes. Psychological Review, 75(2), 1-20. 2. Baddeley, A. D. (2000). Working memory: Looking back and looking forward. Trends in Cognitive Sciences, 4(8), 303-309. 3. Baddeley, A. D., & Hitch, G. J. (1974). Working Memory. Cambridge University Press. 4. Miyake, P., & Shah, P. (1999). The control of working memory: Mechanisms of inhibition, attention, and mental set. Psychological Review, 106(3), 270-302. 5. Cowan, N. (2001). The magical number 4 in short-term memory: A reconsideration of mental storage capacity. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24(5), 873-900. 6. Ericsson, K. A., & Kintsch, W. (1995). Long-term working memory. Psychological Review, 102(3), 211-245. 7. Dix, A. (Speaker). (2021). [Multi-store Model of Memory Discussion] [Video file]. 8. Dix, A. (2012). Designing for Accessibility: The Psychology of Disability that Affects Us All. CRC Press.
In light of the multi-store model of memory, user research could be conducted to explore an individual's mental-health-related experiences using health-and-wellness apps, focusing on how they utilize short-term memory during the process of learning and retaining information about mental-health practices. This study would provide insights into the effectiveness of short-term memory strategies in retaining mental-health information, as well as the role of retrieval in bringing mental-health related information from long-term memory into short-term memory for use.
Moreover, the findings from this study could contribute to the development of science-based mental-health interventions and health-and-wellness apps that are tailored to maximize the efficiency of memory storage and retrieval, ultimately promoting mental wellness for users.
