A simulation model of short-term memory: Parameter sensitivity studies and implications for two current issues

Abstract A simulation model of human short-term memory (STM) has been formulated. The model postulates a number of basic information processes which are executed in a serial fashion and each has an associated time parameter. The model also postulates that information is lost from memory as a result of decay. The nature of this decay is exponential and its rate is a model parameter. Several studies were simulated in which the processing-time and decay-rate parameters were manipulated to determine the model's sensitivity to these parameters. Also, the model's performance was examined as a function of whether or not visual information is stored in STM and whether order information is retained perfectly or lost as a result of decay. The results of these simulated studies were compared to experimental data to determine at which parameter values and under which conditions of visual and order information storage the model performs most appropriately.

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