Three Processes of Human Memory

HUMAN MEMORY

There are three processes of human memory. The first step is encoding which is the step of creating memory. The information is stored in the brain and may be recalled a little later from the short or long-term memory. The next step is storage this is where the process of information is retained. The last step is retrieval this is where we retrieve the information that was encoded in the brain. Perception is where memory begins through the different senses. Memory is encoded by neurons that are fired through the process of attention by the thalamus and frontal lobe. Attention is increased by emotions the emotions are processed on an unconscious pathway to the brain leading to the amygdala. The sensory area is where the perceptions of the senses are decoded and the combined hippocampus of the brain. The brains hippocampus analyzes this information and decides if it is long-term or not. “It acts as a kind of sorting centre where the new sensations are compared and associated with previously recorded ones” (Memory Coding, n.d.). It is unknown if these pieces of information are recalled later or not.

There are three stages in the human memory model. The first step is the sensory memory that enters the processing system that enters the processing system through the different senses. Perception is how memory begins the perceptual system is operated on this information. The sensory system acts as a buffer it retains the information, but does it very briefly. For example, you are speaking with someone and you hear your name being called you respond to the person calling your name. You then go back to the conversation where you left off at. “Sensory memory is an ultra-sort term memory that does not hold information long, typically decays in the region of an item, and certainly less than a second” (Sensory Memory, n.d.). The information may not last long, but this is perception and requires being stored in the short-term memory.

The second is short-term memory this is where information can be remembered and processed at the same time. Short-term memory is where information can be remembered and processed at the same time. Short-term memory holds a very small amount of information. “It can hold up to 7 items or even less in an active state, ready-available state for a short period of time can hold for 10 to 15 seconds or maybe up to a minute” (Short-Term (working) Memory, n.d.). For example, if you over hear someone giving their telephone number out it will disappear unless you make an effort to retain it.

The third is long-term memory this is where information is stored for long periods of time and not forgotten. There are two ways to retrieve this information they are recall and recognition. Long-term memory is divided into declarative memory and procedural memory. Declarative are consciousness memories. Procedural are body movements and objects that can be used in the