The three processes of memory
- Encoding: changing information into a form that can be stored. Information can be encoded acoustically (by sound), visually (by image) or semantically (by meaning).
- Storage: keeping information in memory over time.
- Retrieval: getting stored information back out of memory when needed.
Types of long-term memory
- Episodic memory: memories of personal events, such as your last birthday. They are linked to a time and place.
- Semantic memory: knowledge and facts, such as knowing that Paris is the capital of France.
- Procedural memory: memories of how to do things, such as riding a bike. They are often hard to explain in words.
Why it matters
- Forgetting can happen at any stage: information may not be encoded, may fade from storage, or may fail to be retrieved.
- Revising using meaning (semantic encoding), such as explaining ideas in your own words, helps information last longer.
Key terms
- Encoding
- Changing information into a form that can be stored.
- Storage
- Keeping information in memory over time.
- Retrieval
- Getting information back out of memory.
- Episodic memory
- Memory of personal events.
- Semantic memory
- Memory of knowledge and facts.
- Procedural memory
- Memory of how to do things.
- Acoustic encoding
- Storing information by its sound.
- Semantic encoding
- Storing information by its meaning.