The MSM was created by Atkinson and Shiffrin to describe how information is retained by individuals. The first store is the sensory register, this contains an echoic or iconic store (echoic meaning auditory and iconic meaning visual information). This information then goes into the short-term memory. Information can be lost from the STM by memory decay. This decay will not happen if rehearsal occurs, this puts the information into the long-term memory (LTM). Information can by lost from the LTM by memory decay as well if maintenance rehearsal is not done. Information can be bought back into the STM from the LTM by retrieval. (A diagram would be included).