Memory and encoding

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Memory

The persistence of learning over time through encoding, storage, and retrieval of information

Essential to human functioning and is needed to complete the simplest of tasks

Studied from various different perspectives, including how we make, forget, and the significance of it to us.

Recall

A person must retrieve information learnt earlier, as on a fill-in-the-blank test.

Most difficult and can be limited with the passage of time

Recognition

A measure of memory in which a person identifies items previously learnt, as on a multiple choice test

Quicker and easier, and persists over greater time periods

Relearning

A measure of memory that assesses the amount of time saved when learning the same material again

Distributed practise can help strengthen memories and decrease the amount of time needed to relearn information in the future

Encoding

The process of getting information into the memory system like by extracting meaning through visual, auditory, and semantic information

Storage

The process of getting information out of memory storage

Information is stored in multiple levels of storage based on capacity and duration

Retrieval

The process of getting information out of memory storage

At some point, information that is stored long-term needs to be retrieved in order to be of use

Parallel processing

Processing of multiple aspects of a stimulus or problem simultaneously

Sensory memory

The immediate, very brief recording of sensory information in the memory system

All sensory stimuli briefly passes through our sensory memory but not all of it is moved further into the system

Only information we pay attention to and encode further will move into short-term memory

Short-term memory

Briefly activated memory of a few items (such as digits of a phone number while calling) that is late stored or forgotten

Limited duration and capacity

Information is often held here for us to use but then forgotten if further encoding doesn’t occur

Any semantically encoded information will make its way to the long-term storage for us to retrieve later

Long-term memory

The relatively permanent, limitless archive of the memory system. Includes knowledge, skills, and experiences

Working memory

A newer understanding of short-term memory

Conscious, active processing of both incoming sensory information and information retrieved from long-term memory

Selective attention helps us to focus when integrating new information with long-term memories in working memory

Central Executive

A memory component that coordinates the activities of the phonological loop and visuospatial sketchpad

Phonological loop

A memory component that briefly holds auditory information

Visuospatial sketchpad

A memory component that briefly holds information about objects’ appearance and location in space

Neurogenesis

The formation of new neurons

Long-term potentiation

An increase in a nerve cell’s firing potential after brief, rapid stimulation; a neural basis for learning and memory

When new information is learnt or old information is retrieved and used, new neural connections are created and strengthened

A neuron’s potential to fire is linked to learning and memory, and specific areas of the brain play roles in memory

Explicit/Declarative memory

Retention of facts and experiences that we can consciously know and “declare”

Effortfully encoded and retrieved by our conscious mind, and facts we can “declare” we know are considered it

Some things are explicit at first but get implicit over time and habit

Effortful processing

Encoding that requires attention and conscious effort

Automatic processing

Unconscious encoding of incidental information, such as space, time and frequency, and of familiar or well-learnt information such as sounds, smells, and word meanings

Implicit/nondeclarative memory

Retention of learning skills or classically conditioned associations independent of conscious recollection

They are encoded and stored by the unconscious track

Controls procedural skills

Classically conditioned