The levels of processing framework was first proposed by Craik and Lockhart in 1972. Prior to Craik and Lockhart’s introduction to an alternative model for memory research, the dominant memory framework was the multistore models. In their paper, Craik and Lockhart outlined the strengths associated with this model as well as some weaknesses. We will focus on the weaknesses, as these will be the points most pertinent to their argument for an alternative framework for memory research, but first, a brief overview of the multistore models will be presented.
The multistore models presume that information flows logically from one store to another, i.e., sensory stores to short-term memory to long-term memory (Craik & Lockhart, 1972). Information can
…show more content…
In Craik & Lockhart’s view, the capacity, coding, and retention function criteria for the sensory store, short-term store, and long-term store do not adequately address the differences between the stores (1972). The limited capacity, a distinguishing feature in short-term store has been ambiguous, in particular, the model does not specify whether the limited capacity is due to processing capacity, storage capacity, or an interaction between the two (Craik & Lockhart, 1972). In terms of coding, short-term store is not largely phonemic; information in short-term store can be encoded either acoustic or articulatory (Craik & Lockhart, 1972). While type of coding may have been a distinguishing characteristic between short-term store and long-term store, there is evidence that claims short-term store information can also be encoded semantically (Craik & Lockhart, 1972). Lastly, if short-term store is to be distinguished in terms of its forgetting characteristics, the rate at which information is lost should be consistent across different paradigms and experimental conditions, but this is not the case (Craik & Lockhart, 1972). Craik & Lockhart then posits a hypothesis that the rate of forgetting not only depends on aspects such as study time, amount of material presented, mode of test, but also, the type and