The Multi-Store Model of Memory

The multi-store model (MSM) was proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968). It is one of the most influential models of memory in psychology and describes memory as a linear process flowing through three distinct stores: the sensory register, short-term memory (STM), and long-term memory (LTM).

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Structure of the Multi-Store Model

The MSM proposes that information passes through memory in a fixed sequence:

Sensory Input → Sensory Register → (Attention) → Short-Term Memory → (Rehearsal) → Long-Term Memory

Each store differs in terms of encoding, capacity, and duration:

Feature	Sensory Register	Short-Term Memory	Long-Term Memory
Encoding	Modality-specific (visual, auditory, etc.)	Mainly acoustic	Mainly semantic
Capacity	Very large (all sensory input)	Limited (7 ± 2 items)	Potentially unlimited
Duration	Very brief (< 1 second visual, 2–4 seconds auditory)	18–30 seconds without rehearsal	Potentially a lifetime

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The Sensory Register

The sensory register is the first store in the MSM. It receives information from the senses (sight, hearing, touch, taste, smell). There is a separate sensory store for each sense: