Memory Key Terms

found on page 70 of textbook

Encoding

the format in which information is stored in various memory stores

Storage

the process of holding information in memory

Retrieval

the process of transferring information from LTM to STM, recalling information

Capacity

the amount of information that can be held in a memory store

Duration

the length of time information can be held in memory

Multi-store Model

a representation of how memory works in terms of three stores. it also describes how information is transferred from one store to another, how it is remembered and how it is forgotten

Shot-term Memory (STM)

the limited capacity memory store. encoding is mainly acoustic (sounds), capacity is 7 ± 2, duration is between about 18 and 30 seconds

Long-term Memory (LTM)

the permanent memory store. coding is mainly semantic (meaning), it has unlimited capacity and can store memories for up to a lifetime

Information Processing

the mind works like a computer in that it processes (manages) information in terms of input, storage and retrieval