MEMORY STORAGE

The mental operations by which our sensory experiences are converted into knowledge are called information processing. In the information processing model, information can be processed through input, storage and retrieve. At each process, a variety of control mechanism operates. (such as attention storage and retrieval).

Stages of memory storage.

The raw sensory information that is selected is then encoded in a form of sound visual image, meaning that can be used in the next stages of memory. The influential stage theory of memory assumes that humans have three stages of memories that meet the need to store information for different length of time.

1. Sensory register

Remember though that information lasts only for an instant in sensory registers, much like sitting by the window on a speeding train as images rapidly move through your field of vision. These fleeting images are called iconic if they are visual and echoic if they are auditory information comes to us initially through our sensory register is very brief, designed to hold an exact image of each sensory experience until it can fully be processed e.g. visual information fades very quickly probably 1/1of a second and for auditory information a vivid image of what we hear is retained for about the same length. The raw-image data remains in the sensory system even though information has been processed. The sensory register contains unprocessed information which can be transferred to the next stage i.e. short term memory.

2. Short term memory

You have just read three paragraphs about king George of England have started to answer questions about the material; your ability to retain this material involves short term memory, a very important part of our memory system. Information comes into short memory through either sensory and perceptual processes or through long term memory, the short term memory has been describe as a work bench because so much activity involved in processing information goes on here. If the image is to be remembered it must be transferred to short term memory which is a stage of temporary storage. Information is lost from STM In less than half a minute unless it is renewed. Information can be renewed in STM by a mental repetition or rehearsal. The aim is to keep material available until it can be used or stored in an integrated fashion. Chunking that is the organizing items into meaningful or manageable units , telephone numbers social security numbers, license plates are common examples of how chunking can help to remember lists of numbers in every day life. An interesting aspect of memory is that we remember information experienced first and last better than what we experience in the middle. The superior recall at the beginning of a list of items is called primacy effect, while excellent memory of the end of the list is called the regency effect. Together the combination is called the serial position effect.

3. Long term memory.

In this third phase, information is retained for intervals ranging from 30 seconds to the full life of time of the organism. Storage of information at this level is relatively permanent. Besides the time factor long term memory differs from short term memory in two ways.

 First it is presumed to have unlimited capacity unlike STM. To transfer information to long term memory a more elaborate system is needed. The process is called encoding. It involves the preparation of information in a useful way so that it can be remembered.

Information can be processed and integrated in exiting memories. The greater the degree of elaboration given to the item or incoming information the more the likely it is that it will be remembered. Like in stm, information can reach long term memory if it is rehearsed. John Anderson (1983, 1985) believes that there is a distinction between declarative knowledge, information that can be verbally communicated and procedural knowledge which consists of skills about which it is difficult if not possible to communicate verbally. Declarative knowledge has been called knowing that, procedural knowledge has been called knowing how. Examples of procedural knowledge are driving a car and reading.

Declarative knowledge has been studied more extensively than procedural knowledge. A common distinction is declarative knowledge is made in between episodic memory and semantic memory.