What is the multi-store model of memory?

Atkinson and Shiffrin (1968) proposed a model of memory that consists of three stores: the sensory store, short-term memory and long-term memory. The sensory store receives information about the world from the senses. It has unlimited capacity, but only lasts for a duration of half a second. If this information is attended to it moves to the short-term memory. The short-term memory store has a capacity of 7 +/- 2 items and a duration of thirty seconds. That means that people can remember 7 'things' on average, but only for thirty seconds at a time. After this time the information must be rehearsed in order to be moved to the long-term memory store. Long-term memory is unlimited in its capacity and duration. People can remember any number of things for their whole life time - think of everything you have ever learnt!!