Atkinson and Shiffrins Multistore Model » Primacy and Recency Effects

What you'll learn this session

Study time: 30 minutes

Understand Atkinson and Shiffrin's Multi-Store Model of memory
Learn about the three memory stores and how they work together
Explore the primacy and recency effects in detail
Examine real-world examples and case studies
Analyse the strengths and limitations of the model
Apply knowledge to exam-style questions

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Introduction to the Multi-Store Model

Imagine your brain as a filing system with three different storage areas. The Multi-Store Model, created by Richard Atkinson and Richard Shiffrin in 1968, explains how our memory works using this simple idea. It's one of the most important theories in psychology and helps us understand why we remember some things but forget others.

This model suggests that information flows through three separate memory stores in a specific order, like items moving along a conveyor belt in a factory. Each store has different characteristics and limitations.

Key Definitions:

Multi-Store Model: A theory that describes memory as three separate stores working together in sequence.
Sensory Register: The first store that briefly holds information from our senses.
Short-Term Memory (STM): The second store with limited capacity and duration.
Long-Term Memory (LTM): The final store with unlimited capacity for permanent storage.
Primacy Effect: The tendency to remember items at the beginning of a list better.
Recency Effect: The tendency to remember items at the end of a list better.

🛠 The Three Memory Stores

The Multi-Store Model shows information flowing from sensory register → short-term memory → long-term memory. Each store has unique features that determine how much information it can hold and for how long.

The Three Memory Stores Explained

Let's explore each memory store in detail, understanding their capacity, duration and how information moves between them.

Sensory Register

The sensory register is like a camera flash - it captures everything for a split second, then most of it disappears. This store receives information from all five senses but can only hold it for a fraction of a second (0.25-2 seconds).

👁 Capacity

Very large - can hold all sensory information at once

⌛ Duration

Very brief - less than 2 seconds

🔍 Attention

Only information we pay attention to moves to STM

Short-Term Memory (STM)

Short-term memory is like your mental workspace - it's where you hold information whilst you're actively thinking about it. George Miller discovered that STM can typically hold 7±2 items (between 5-9 pieces of information) for about 15-30 seconds without rehearsal.

📦 Capacity

Limited - approximately 7±2 items

⏳ Duration

15-30 seconds without rehearsal

🔁 Encoding

Mainly acoustic (sound-based)

Long-Term Memory (LTM)

Long-term memory is like a vast library where information can be stored permanently. Unlike STM, it has unlimited capacity and can hold information for a lifetime. Information reaches LTM through rehearsal and meaningful processing.

∞ Capacity

Unlimited - can store vast amounts of information

📅 Duration

Potentially permanent storage

💡 Encoding

Mainly semantic (meaning-based)

Primacy and Recency Effects

The primacy and recency effects are fascinating phenomena that provide strong evidence for the Multi-Store Model. They explain why we remember certain items in a list better than others and they're something you've probably experienced yourself.

🔎 The Serial Position Effect

When people are given a list of words to remember, they typically remember words at the beginning (primacy effect) and end (recency effect) better than words in the middle. This U-shaped pattern is called the serial position effect.

The Primacy Effect

The primacy effect occurs because the first items in a list receive more attention and rehearsal. When you hear the first few words, your STM isn't full yet, so these items get extra processing time. This increased rehearsal helps transfer them to LTM, making them easier to remember later.

Why does it happen?

First items receive more attention
More rehearsal time available
Better transfer to long-term memory
Less interference from other items

The Recency Effect

The recency effect happens because the last items in a list are still fresh in your short-term memory when you're asked to recall them. These items haven't had time to fade or be displaced by new information, so they're readily available for immediate recall.

Why does it happen?

Last items still in short-term memory
No time for decay or displacement
Immediate availability for recall
Less processing required

📈 Real-World Example

Think about meeting a group of new people at a party. You'll likely remember the names of the first person you met (primacy) and the last person you spoke to (recency) better than those you met in the middle of the evening.

Classic Research Studies

Several important studies have investigated the primacy and recency effects, providing crucial evidence for the Multi-Store Model.

Case Study Focus: Glanzer and Cunitz (1966)

Glanzer and Cunitz conducted a famous experiment where participants heard lists of words and had to recall them immediately or after a delay. In the immediate condition, they found both primacy and recency effects. However, when recall was delayed by 30 seconds (filled with a distractor task), the recency effect disappeared whilst the primacy effect remained. This supports the Multi-Store Model because the delay allowed STM to empty (removing recency) whilst LTM remained intact (preserving primacy).

Murdock's Free Recall Studies

Bennet Murdock conducted extensive research on the serial position effect using free recall tasks. Participants listened to lists of 10-40 words and then recalled as many as possible in any order. His results consistently showed the characteristic U-shaped curve, with strong primacy and recency effects.

Key findings:

Primacy effect strongest for longer lists
Recency effect consistent across different list lengths
Middle items showed poorest recall
Results supported the Multi-Store Model predictions

Factors Affecting Primacy and Recency

Several factors can influence the strength of primacy and recency effects, helping us understand the underlying memory processes better.

⚡ Presentation Speed

Slower presentation enhances primacy (more rehearsal time) but doesn't affect recency

📤 List Length

Longer lists increase primacy effects but recency remains constant

⌛ Delay

Delays eliminate recency effects but leave primacy intact

Strengths and Limitations

Like all psychological theories, the Multi-Store Model has both strengths and limitations that we need to consider.

Strengths of the Model

Research Support: Extensive experimental evidence supports the model's predictions
Clear Structure: Provides a simple, understandable framework for memory
Practical Applications: Helps explain everyday memory phenomena
Testable: Makes specific predictions that can be scientifically tested

Limitations of the Model

Oversimplified: Memory is more complex than three separate stores
Passive View: Doesn't account for active processing strategies
Individual Differences: People vary in their memory abilities and strategies
Types of Memory: Doesn't distinguish between different types of LTM

🚀 Modern Developments

The Multi-Store Model led to more sophisticated theories like the Working Memory Model, which better explains the active nature of short-term memory processing. However, the basic principles of primacy and recency effects remain important in understanding memory.

Exam Applications

Understanding the Multi-Store Model and primacy/recency effects is crucial for your iGCSE Psychology exam. You should be able to describe the model, explain the effects and evaluate the research evidence.

✍ Exam Tip

When describing primacy and recency effects, always link them back to the Multi-Store Model. Explain that primacy occurs due to transfer to LTM through rehearsal, whilst recency occurs because items are still in STM. Use specific research studies like Glanzer and Cunitz to support your answers.

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