Which model of memory describes three distinct stores: sensory, short-term, and long-term?

The multi-store model of memory is the correct choice as it specifically outlines three separate systems of memory storage: sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory. This model, originally proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin in the 1960s, illustrates how information flows through these different types of memory.

Sensory memory captures a brief snapshot of sensory information, lasting only seconds. Short-term memory holds a limited amount of information for a short duration, typically around 20 to 30 seconds, unless rehearsal is employed. Finally, long-term memory is responsible for storing information over extended periods, potentially for a lifetime, through processes like encoding and retrieval.

This model emphasizes the linear processing of information and highlights the transition between the different types of memory stores. Other models, such as the working memory model, focus on the manipulation of information and the functions of short-term memory rather than outlining distinct memory stores. The levels of processing model emphasizes the depth of processing rather than storage categories, while long-term potentiation relates to the physiological processes that underpin memory storage rather than delineating different memory storage systems.