Memory: Exploring Encoding, Storage, Retrieval, and Its Types

This essay provides an overview of memory, defining it as the ability to encode, store, and retrieve information. It breaks down the memory process into three stages: encoding (receiving and processing information), storage (creating a permanent record), and retrieval (recalling stored information). The essay also discusses different types of memory, including sensory memory (like iconic, haptic, and echoic memory), short-term memory/working memory (holding limited items briefly), and long-term memory (holding information for extended periods). Understanding these memory processes and types is crucial for addressing memory-related issues and developing effective strategies to assist individuals with memory problems. Desklib offers a platform where students can access similar essays and study materials.

Running head: MEMORY
MEMORY
Name of the student:
Name of the university:
Author note:

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Memory and the types of memory:
Memory can be defined as the ability in taking information and then encoding
it and storing it and retrieving it later hen required. In the field of psychology,
memory is mainly broken into three distinct stages called the encoding, storage and
retrieval. Encoding is the procedure of receiving, processing as well as combining
information. This step allows information from the outside world helping it to reach
senses of human beings in the firm of chemical as well as physical stimuli. The next
stage is called the storage stage. It mainly involves the creation of the permanent
record of the encoded information. Researchers say that storage is the second memory
stage of the procedure in which individuals can successfully participate in maintaining
information over periods (Sukhbaatar et al., 2015). The third stage is called the
retrieval stage, which involves calling back of the stored information in response to
certain cues for effectively using the information in the process of activities. The third
process is mainly the retrieval of the information that the individuals have already
stored.
The first type of memory is the sensory memories. This type of memory allows
individuals in retaining various impressions of sensory information only after the
original stimulus has already started to cease. One of the most common example of
the sensory memories is when individuals lit a sparkler on the Fourth of July or when
they watch traffic rush by at night. This type of light seems to leave a trail and this is

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called the iconic memory. Two other forms of sensory memory had been also studied
like the haptic memory and the echoic memory. Sensory memory is seen to be not
involved in higher cognitive functions like that of the long and short-term memory
and is not controlled consciously. Sensory memories mainly play the role in providing
a detailed representation of the entire sensory experience for which significant and
relevant pieces of information are extracted by short-term memory and are processed
by the working memory.
Another form of memory is called the short-term memory as well as the
working memory. It can hold only few items like 7 or 8 items and can only last for
about 20 seconds. Items can only move from the short term memory to that of the
long-term memory through the procedure called rehearsal. This can be explained with
the help of an example. When an individual hears to a phone number that he needs to
jot down, he immediately needs to repeat the numbers until he can write them
successfully. This phase is called the rehearsal phase. If anyone interrupts in this
rehearsal phase by asking questions, the individual might easily forget the number
because it is only held in the short-term memory (PIAGET ET AL., 2015).
Long-term memories can be explained as all those memories that individuals can hold for
periods that are longer than few seconds are. Long-term memories can encompass everything
that may start from what the individuals have already learned on the first grade to that of the old
addresses and even to what individuals wore the previous day. It has been seen that long-term
memory can last from the time they are created to until the time until they die.

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This information would be extremely important for understanding the memory conditions
of the patients who come with different memory issues and thereby help in understanding the
various reasons by which patients might face memory issue and thereby develop different
strategies to help them in their problems.

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References:
Piaget, J., & Inhelder, B. (2015). Memory and intelligence (psychology revivals). Psychology
Press.
Sukhbaatar, S., Weston, J., & Fergus, R. (2015). End-to-end memory networks. In Advances in
neural information processing systems (pp. 2440-2448).