Memory
Memory can be considered to be the storage and retention of information, experiences
and knowledge, as well as the ability to retrieve this information.
Memory processes 1. registration
2. storage
3. retrieval
Ultra short-term memory - Physical stimuli are received via the sensory receptors (eyes, ears, etc.) and stored for a very brief period of time in sensory stores (sensory memory). Visual information is stored for up to half a second in iconic memory and sounds are stored for slightly longer (up to 2 seconds) in echoic memory.
Short term memory receives a proportion of the information received into sensory stores, and allows us to store information long enough to use it (hence the idea of
‘working memory’). It can store only a relatively small amount of information at one
time, i.e. 5 to 9 (often referred to as 7 ±2) items of information, for a short duration,
typically 10 to 20 seconds. As the following example shows, capacity of short term
memory can be enhanced by splitting information in to ‘chunks’ (a group of related
items).
Long-term memory have unlimited capacity. It is used to store information that is not currently being used, including:
• knowledge of the physical world and objects within it and how these behave;
• personal experiences;
• beliefs about people, social norms, values, etc.;
• motor program, problem solving skills and plans for achieving various activities;
• abilities, such as language comprehension.
Semantic memory - our store of general, factual knowledge about the world, such as concepts, rules, one’s own language, etc. It is information that is not tied to where and when the knowledge was originally acquired.
Episodic memory - memory of specific events, such as our past experiences (including people, events and objects). We can usually place these things within a certain context.
and knowledge, as well as the ability to retrieve this information.
Memory processes 1. registration
2. storage
3. retrieval
Ultra short-term memory - Physical stimuli are received via the sensory receptors (eyes, ears, etc.) and stored for a very brief period of time in sensory stores (sensory memory). Visual information is stored for up to half a second in iconic memory and sounds are stored for slightly longer (up to 2 seconds) in echoic memory.
Short term memory receives a proportion of the information received into sensory stores, and allows us to store information long enough to use it (hence the idea of
‘working memory’). It can store only a relatively small amount of information at one
time, i.e. 5 to 9 (often referred to as 7 ±2) items of information, for a short duration,
typically 10 to 20 seconds. As the following example shows, capacity of short term
memory can be enhanced by splitting information in to ‘chunks’ (a group of related
items).
Long-term memory have unlimited capacity. It is used to store information that is not currently being used, including:
• knowledge of the physical world and objects within it and how these behave;
• personal experiences;
• beliefs about people, social norms, values, etc.;
• motor program, problem solving skills and plans for achieving various activities;
• abilities, such as language comprehension.
Semantic memory - our store of general, factual knowledge about the world, such as concepts, rules, one’s own language, etc. It is information that is not tied to where and when the knowledge was originally acquired.
Episodic memory - memory of specific events, such as our past experiences (including people, events and objects). We can usually place these things within a certain context.