A-LEVEL PSYCHOLOGY EXAMINATION
SCIENCE COGNITIVE, BIOLOGICAL, AND SOCIAL
BEHAVIOURAL
Advanced Assessment of Psychological Theories, Research
Methods, and Application to Human
SPRING SEMESTER EXAMINATION TEST 2026
Outline and evaluate the multi store model of memory. (AO1)
Theoretical model developed by Atkinson and Shiffrin.
Suggests information flows through three memory stores, sensory register, short term memory,
and long term memory. Each store is separate as they have different coding, capacities and
durations. Each store is unitary- cannot be subdivided.
The sensory register detect sensory stimuli, codes modality free and has a large capacity.
If information is paid attention to, it is transferred to the short term memory which has a
capacity of five to nine items, codes acoustically and has a duration of up to 30 seconds.
Rehearsal involves repeating information that people are trying to remember over and over
again. This prevents information from decaying and allows it to enter the long term memory.
Long term memory has a potentially unlimited capacity and duration and is coded semantically.
Information in the long term memory can be accessed by the short term memory during
retrieval.
1|Page
,Information can be lost from each store through decay or displacement.
Outline and evaluate the multi store model of memory. (AO3)
+ Supporting evidence for the idea that each of the three stores are different. Baddeley
investigated coding in STM & LTM: 70 young servicemen were divided into four different groups
and underwent trials where they were briefly presented with the same 5 words. However, the
orders of the words changed each time. Their task was to write down the words in the correct
order. G1: words acoustically similar. G2: words acoustically dissimilar. G3: words semantically
similar. G4: words semantically dissimilar. To assess coding in STM recall was assessed within 30
seconds. To assess LTM coding, recall was assessed after a long duration. For STM: Difference in
recall between acoustically similar words and acoustically dissimilar words - codes acoustically.
For LTM: Difference in recall between semantically similar words and semantically dissimilar
words.- codes semantically.
-Challenging evidence: stores aren't unitary. Research using dual task studies shows that the
short term memory can complete two different tasks (visual and acoustic) at the same time
which suggests it has subdivisions. Research also suggests that the LTM could be subdivided into
different parts: Episodic, semantic and procedural. This challenges the multi store model of
memory's, assumption that all stores are unitary.
+ Practical application. Some ideas from the multi store model of memory can be used to help
in education. For example, the idea of rehearsal to help a memory enter the long term memory
can be used by students and teachers. It means students should revise by regularly rehearsing
information. And teachers should regularly revisit topics to continue rehearsal. This shows that
this model can be useful in the real world.
Outline & Evaluate the Working memory model of memory. (AO1)
It is a model for short term memory only, developed by Baddeley and Hitch.
It divides the short term memory into 4 to 8 subdivisions: a controller & slave systems. Each
subdivision is specialised for a specific information and can only deal with one task at time. We
2|Page
,can complete tasks using different types of information at the same time. This is the dual task
technique.
The central executive is the supervisor of the short term store. It controls and directs attention,
plans and makes decisions, passes info to components and can takeover from overloaded slave
systems for brief periods: codes modality free & codes acoustically
Phonological loop- stores speech-based sound for brief periods. Codes acoustically, limited
capacity. A) phonological Store (inner ear): briefly stores acoustically coded items B) articulatory
control process (inner voice): sub vocal repetition of stored items.
Visuospatial sketch Pad- Sets up and manipulates mental images from visual and spatial
information. Codes visually, limited capacity of four objects. A) Visual cache: object form and
colour info. B) inner scribe: object arrangement info.
Episodic buffer. Temporary storage system allowing incoming info to be combined with long
term memory info. Codes modality free, capacity limited to four chunks.
Outline & Evaluate the Working memory model of memory. (AO3)
+Supporting evidence: dual task studies
If a participant can complete a verbal and visual task at the same time, it supports the idea that
the short term memory is subdivided. If they are unable to complete simultaneously two similar
tasks, it shows that the capacity of each component is limited. For example, the study by
Robbins et al. Showed that the phonological loop, visuospatial sketch Pad and Central Executive
can deal with different tasks at the same time (&thus subdivided). However, they can't deal with
two tasks for period of time due to their limited capacity.
+supporting case study evidence - KF
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, suffered brain damage affecting STM. Struggle with tasks dealing with sounds but was able to
compete visual tasks. If one component is damaged yet the others aren't, it shows that each
component is separate.
- Limitations of case study evidence: The use of brain damaged patients makes it hard to draw
conclusions from these studies as the research is focused on abnormal brains. May not be able
to generalise findings to the wider population who have normal brains.
- Central executive is oversimplified. Patient EVR had a cerebral tumours removed. He
performed well on reasoning tasks, but poorly on everyday decision making - both of which
require the central executive. This suggests that the central executive is not unitary. It is more
complex than described by the working memory model.
Describe and evaluate types of long term memory. (AO1)
Tulving proposed three types of long term memory: episodic, semantic, and procedural.
Episodic memory, hippocampus - memories of personal experiences involving specific details,
context and emotions. Declarative: require conscious effort to remember. eg- a first date
Semantic memory, temporal/frontal lobes - Memories of knowledge about the world that is
shared with everyone (facts) rather than personal memories. Declarative: requires conscious
effort to remember. eg- the currency of a country
Procedural memory, cerebellum/motor cortex - Knowing how to do things / memory of skills
that become automatic. Implicit: Requires no conscious effort to recall. eg- how to ride a bike
Describe and evaluate types of long term memory. (AO3)
+ supporting evidence based on case studies of brain damage individuals that suggest that
episodic memories and semantic memories are different. Vicari et al: Case study of an 8 year old
4|Page
SCIENCE COGNITIVE, BIOLOGICAL, AND SOCIAL
BEHAVIOURAL
Advanced Assessment of Psychological Theories, Research
Methods, and Application to Human
SPRING SEMESTER EXAMINATION TEST 2026
Outline and evaluate the multi store model of memory. (AO1)
Theoretical model developed by Atkinson and Shiffrin.
Suggests information flows through three memory stores, sensory register, short term memory,
and long term memory. Each store is separate as they have different coding, capacities and
durations. Each store is unitary- cannot be subdivided.
The sensory register detect sensory stimuli, codes modality free and has a large capacity.
If information is paid attention to, it is transferred to the short term memory which has a
capacity of five to nine items, codes acoustically and has a duration of up to 30 seconds.
Rehearsal involves repeating information that people are trying to remember over and over
again. This prevents information from decaying and allows it to enter the long term memory.
Long term memory has a potentially unlimited capacity and duration and is coded semantically.
Information in the long term memory can be accessed by the short term memory during
retrieval.
1|Page
,Information can be lost from each store through decay or displacement.
Outline and evaluate the multi store model of memory. (AO3)
+ Supporting evidence for the idea that each of the three stores are different. Baddeley
investigated coding in STM & LTM: 70 young servicemen were divided into four different groups
and underwent trials where they were briefly presented with the same 5 words. However, the
orders of the words changed each time. Their task was to write down the words in the correct
order. G1: words acoustically similar. G2: words acoustically dissimilar. G3: words semantically
similar. G4: words semantically dissimilar. To assess coding in STM recall was assessed within 30
seconds. To assess LTM coding, recall was assessed after a long duration. For STM: Difference in
recall between acoustically similar words and acoustically dissimilar words - codes acoustically.
For LTM: Difference in recall between semantically similar words and semantically dissimilar
words.- codes semantically.
-Challenging evidence: stores aren't unitary. Research using dual task studies shows that the
short term memory can complete two different tasks (visual and acoustic) at the same time
which suggests it has subdivisions. Research also suggests that the LTM could be subdivided into
different parts: Episodic, semantic and procedural. This challenges the multi store model of
memory's, assumption that all stores are unitary.
+ Practical application. Some ideas from the multi store model of memory can be used to help
in education. For example, the idea of rehearsal to help a memory enter the long term memory
can be used by students and teachers. It means students should revise by regularly rehearsing
information. And teachers should regularly revisit topics to continue rehearsal. This shows that
this model can be useful in the real world.
Outline & Evaluate the Working memory model of memory. (AO1)
It is a model for short term memory only, developed by Baddeley and Hitch.
It divides the short term memory into 4 to 8 subdivisions: a controller & slave systems. Each
subdivision is specialised for a specific information and can only deal with one task at time. We
2|Page
,can complete tasks using different types of information at the same time. This is the dual task
technique.
The central executive is the supervisor of the short term store. It controls and directs attention,
plans and makes decisions, passes info to components and can takeover from overloaded slave
systems for brief periods: codes modality free & codes acoustically
Phonological loop- stores speech-based sound for brief periods. Codes acoustically, limited
capacity. A) phonological Store (inner ear): briefly stores acoustically coded items B) articulatory
control process (inner voice): sub vocal repetition of stored items.
Visuospatial sketch Pad- Sets up and manipulates mental images from visual and spatial
information. Codes visually, limited capacity of four objects. A) Visual cache: object form and
colour info. B) inner scribe: object arrangement info.
Episodic buffer. Temporary storage system allowing incoming info to be combined with long
term memory info. Codes modality free, capacity limited to four chunks.
Outline & Evaluate the Working memory model of memory. (AO3)
+Supporting evidence: dual task studies
If a participant can complete a verbal and visual task at the same time, it supports the idea that
the short term memory is subdivided. If they are unable to complete simultaneously two similar
tasks, it shows that the capacity of each component is limited. For example, the study by
Robbins et al. Showed that the phonological loop, visuospatial sketch Pad and Central Executive
can deal with different tasks at the same time (&thus subdivided). However, they can't deal with
two tasks for period of time due to their limited capacity.
+supporting case study evidence - KF
3|Page
, suffered brain damage affecting STM. Struggle with tasks dealing with sounds but was able to
compete visual tasks. If one component is damaged yet the others aren't, it shows that each
component is separate.
- Limitations of case study evidence: The use of brain damaged patients makes it hard to draw
conclusions from these studies as the research is focused on abnormal brains. May not be able
to generalise findings to the wider population who have normal brains.
- Central executive is oversimplified. Patient EVR had a cerebral tumours removed. He
performed well on reasoning tasks, but poorly on everyday decision making - both of which
require the central executive. This suggests that the central executive is not unitary. It is more
complex than described by the working memory model.
Describe and evaluate types of long term memory. (AO1)
Tulving proposed three types of long term memory: episodic, semantic, and procedural.
Episodic memory, hippocampus - memories of personal experiences involving specific details,
context and emotions. Declarative: require conscious effort to remember. eg- a first date
Semantic memory, temporal/frontal lobes - Memories of knowledge about the world that is
shared with everyone (facts) rather than personal memories. Declarative: requires conscious
effort to remember. eg- the currency of a country
Procedural memory, cerebellum/motor cortex - Knowing how to do things / memory of skills
that become automatic. Implicit: Requires no conscious effort to recall. eg- how to ride a bike
Describe and evaluate types of long term memory. (AO3)
+ supporting evidence based on case studies of brain damage individuals that suggest that
episodic memories and semantic memories are different. Vicari et al: Case study of an 8 year old
4|Page
