Atkinson & Shiffrin’s Multi-store Model
Multiple choice questions
1. The capacity of iconic memory is ___________, while the duration of iconic memory is _________.
A. 0.2-0.4 seconds; unlimited
B. 0.2-0.4 seconds; 5-9 items
C. Unlimited; 0.2-0.4 seconds
D. 5-9 items; 0.2-0.4 seconds
2. Which of the following techniques is least likely to involve elaborative rehearsal?
A. Constructing a story with words to remember
B. Making a poem or song incorporating definitions to remember
C. Linking the information to remember with a past memory of a similar event
D. Reading a list of words repeatedly
3. Renee hasn’t ridden her bike for a long time but decides to use it to get fit for summer. She
remembered the last time that she rode it she fell off, so she locked it away in the garage. After she
finds it, she hops back on and has no trouble remembering how to use it again. Remembering where
to ride the bike was a/an __________ memory, whereas remembering how to ride the bike was a/an
_____________ memory.
A. Episodic; procedural
B. Episodic; declarative
C. Procedural; semantic
D. Declarative; procedural
4. Which theory provides evidence for the fact that long-term memory is organised in an overlapping
and interconnected network of concepts?
A. Semantic network theory
B. Consolidation theory
C. Tip-of-the-tongue phenomenon
D. Declarative theory
5. Matt has just purchased a travel agency franchise and decides that he needs to start advertising
the location of his store on the radio. Matt creates a one-minute advertisement and the radio
station gives him a choice of four advertisement time slots to advertise his business in.
Slot number
Time
1
5.56pm
2
5.57pm
3
5.58pm
4
5.59pm
According to the serial position effect, what time slots should Matt pick to ensure his audience
remembers the location of his store?
A. Time slots 1 and 2
B. Time slots 2 and 3
C. Time slots 3 and 4
D. Time slots 1 and 4
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6. In terms of the serial position effect, findings on delayed recall suggest that:
A. Items in the middle of the list produce the most superior recall
B. Items at the start and end of the list produce the most superior recall
C. Items at the start of the list produce the most superior recall
D. Items at the end of the list produce the most superior recall
7. Which memory store is the entry point for incoming sensory information?
A. Sensory memory
B. Working memory
C. Long-term memory
D. Short-term memory
8. In terms of the features of our memory systems, the term ‘capacity’ refers to:
A. How much information we can remember
B. The sort of information we can remember
C. How long we can remember information
D. How quickly we forget information
9. Information regarding autobiographical events is stored in _________ memory, which is a branch
of ___________ memory.
A. Declarative; semantic
B. Semantic; declarative
C. Episodic; declarative
D. Episodic; semantic
10. For information to be transferred from sensory memory to short-term memory it must be:
A. Attended to
B. Encoded
C. Rehearsed
D. Retrieved
11. People that can retain a visual image in their sensory memory for 30 seconds or longer are
thought to have:
A. A perfect memory
B. An iconic memory
C. An echoic memory
D. An eidetic memory
12. Which of the following statements regarding types of rehearsal is not accurate?
A. Maintenance rehearsal is a more active process than elaborative rehearsal
B. Elaborative rehearsal ensures information is more likely to be encoded than maintenance
rehearsal
C. Information learned using maintenance rehearsal is less likely to be retained in long-term
memory than information learned using elaborative rehearsal
D. Information is more likely to be linked to existing memories when using elaborative
rehearsal
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13. The superior recall for words at the start and end of a list is known as:
A. The serial position effect
B. The recency effect
C. The semantic network effect
D. The primacy effect
14. Which of the following statements regarding semantic network theory is false?
A. Each concept that is remembered is referred to as a node
B. The longer the link between nodes, the stronger the connection is
C. Activation of one node often stimulates related nodes
D. The more links that are activated, the quicker the retrieval of information
Short answer questions
1. Define the term ‘memory’.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
1 mark
2a) Connor has just introduced himself to the new girl at school and she recited her mobile phone
number for him. Connor tries to remember the number while he searches for a pen to write it down,
but he forgets the last two digits. Explain why Connor is having difficulties remembering the 10-digit
mobile phone number.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
b) Name and explain two techniques that Connor could use to enable him to more effectively
remember mobile phone numbers in the future.
__________________________________________________________________________________
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1 + 2 = 3 marks
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3a) What is one difference between iconic and echoic memory?
__________________________________________________________________________________
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b) What is one similarity between iconic and echoic memory?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
1 + 1 = 2 marks
4a) What is short-term memory?
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
b) Name and explain one way that duration of short-term memory can be increased.
Name:
__________________________________________________________________________________
Explanation:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
1 + 2 = 3 marks
5. Name and explain one technique for enhancing the capacity of short-term memory. Use an
example to help illustrate how this technique works.
Name:
__________________________________________________________________________________
Explanation:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Example:
__________________________________________________________________________________
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3 marks
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6. What is one difference and one similarity between sensory memory and long-term memory?
Difference:
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
Similarity:
__________________________________________________________________________________
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2 marks
7. Explain what sort of memories are stored in semantic memory and provide one example.
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________
2 marks
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Solutions
Multiple choice questions
1. C
8. A
2. D
9. C
3. A
10. A
4. A
11. D
5. D
12. A
6. C
13. A
7. A
14. B
Short answer questions
1. Memory is an active information processing system where
information is encoded, stored and recovered.
2a) The capacity of short-term memory is only 5–9 items and,
because the mobile phone number has more digits than
this, the information is difficult to retain in short-term
memory.
b) Chunking – Connor could place the individual numbers
to be remember into groups so that there are chunks of
information to remember rather than lots of individual
pieces.
Elaborative rehearsal – Connor could search for number
patterns in the phone number to add meaning to the
information to be remembered.
3a) Iconic memory receives visual information, while echoic
memory receives auditory information. OR The duration of
iconic memory is approximately 0.2–0.4 seconds whereas
echoic memory lasts for 3–4 seconds.
b) Both iconic memory and echoic memory have an unlimited
capacity.
4a) A temporary memory store that can hold a limited amount
of information while it is in conscious awareness.
b)Name: Maintenance rehearsal.
Explanation: Rote repetition of information to maintain it in shortterm
memory.
5. Name: Chunking.
Explanation: Chunking involves grouping individual items into larger units
or chunks.
Example: Instead of remembering a mobile phone number as
0412345678, chunking involves grouping it such as
0412 345 678.
6. Difference: Long-term memory has a relatively permanent duration
whereas information only stays in sensory memory for up
to four seconds.
Similarity: Both sensory memory and long-term memory can store an
unlimited amount of information (unlimited capacity).
7. Semantic memories store information about knowledge and
facts. Examples of semantic memories are capital cities and
mathematical formulas.
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