It’s in all the textbooks and every introduction to psychology course, but here are some things you didn’t know about Atkinson and Shiffrin’s multi-store model of memory. #1. There’s a store within the store The short-term store is where we temporarily hold information in our working memory. If it’s rehearsed enough it will transfer to the long-term store. But did …
Limitations of the multi-store model of memory (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968)
Atkinson and Shiffrin’s MSM is over 50 years old yet it’s still in every introduction to Psychology textbook and still influences modern psychologists. But it’s not without its critics. This post will examine some of their critiques. Because the MSM was so popular, it received a lot of criticism. But “…criticism could itself be viewed as a success, given the …
Key Study: Levels of Processing (Craik and Tulving, 1975)
Background Information The multi-store model of memory (MSM), while straightforward, seemingly common sense, and with plenty of empirical support, is not without its limitations. Do you really need to pay attention to, and rehearse, all sensory information in order for it to be transferred to your long-term memory? Take, for instance, experiences of traumatic or emotionally shocking events (e.g. Flashbulb …
The multi-store model of memory (Atkinson and Shiffrin, 1968)
50 years later and Atkinson and Shiffrin’s multi-store model of memory (aka the modal model) is still relevant today. This post summarizes the model in more detail than most introductory Psychology textbooks, which will give you the chance to distinguish your explanations from the rest. Background The multi-store model of memory (the MSM) is a product of the cognitive revolution …
Key Study: Cognitive appraisals and the stress response (Lazarus, 1963)
The most influential cognitive explanation of stress is based on “cognitive appraisals” – how we assess the relevance and potential harm of a stressor. The following study is one of many that supports this explanation. Stress is a complex phenomenon that involves biological, psychological and environmental factors. Richard Lazarus was a pre-eminent psychologist in the field of stress research. Along …
Key Study: Schema Theory & the Superwoman Self-schema
Schema theory is one of the most important theories in cognitive psychology, but it can also be one of the more difficult theories to understand. The best way, I’ve found, to understand schema theory is to look at as many real-life examples as possible. In this post, we’ll look at a fascinating example – the AfricanAmerican Superwoman self-schema. A schema …
Key Study: Gandhi and the Anchoring Effect Strack & Mussweiler, 1997
Are we always in control of our thoughts, or can they be influenced by invisible forces? The art of persuasion and subtle manipulation is a fascinating field of study in psychology. In this post, we’ll look at how people can manipulate our cognitive biases to influence our decision-making. One of the more interesting cognitive biases is the “anchoring effect.” The anchoring …
Exam Question Bank: Paper 1: Cognitive Approach
Disclaimer: These questions are not IB “official” questions and are written with our best guess as to what the probable exam questions may look like. Therefore, not every possible question is covered. READ MORE IB Psychology Exam Question Banks Paper 1: Biological approach (Link) Paper 1: Sociocultural approach (Link) Paper 1: HL Ext Bio Animal Studies (Link) Paper 1: HL Ext …
Exam Question Bank: HL Extension Cog – Technology & Cognition
One, two or all three essay questions in Paper 1, Section B will be based on the extension topics. Cognitive Approach: Technology and Cognition Remember that the extension questions are created by combining the HL extension topics with the three topics in each of the approaches. Cognitive extension topics: “Cognitive processing in the digital world.” The influence of digital technology …
Key Study: Emotion and Memory of a Baseball Game (Kensinger and Schacter, 2006)
Would you remember more about a wedding or a funeral? How about how you felt when you got an F on a test compared to getting an A? The effects of different emotions on memory is what Kensinger and Schacter’s study is about as they compare real-life memories of baseball fans from the 2004 world series final game – Boston …