Processes of memory

• Memory

  1. Encode information

  2. Store information

  3. Retrieve information
• Encoding

  When information from our senses is adapted to a form that can be stored in the brain
• Types of encoding

  • Visual (mental imagery/what it looks like)
  • Acoustically (what it sounds like)
  • Semantically (what does it mean/linked to)
• Some information is automatically encoded without us being aware and for others we have to pay attention to the information to encode it
• Storage

  How we hold memories in the physical neuronic structure of the brain
• Retrieval

  The process of bringing back information from the brain's storage to be used
• Types of long-term memory

  • Episodic
  • Procedural
  • Semantic
• Episodic memory

  Memories of events and personal experiences you have had
• Semantic memory

  Memories for facts and general knowledge as well as the meaning of words
• Procedural memory

  The memory for complex skills. They are action based memories
• Semantic and episodic can be recalled consciously and can be put into words. Procedural is unconscious memories and are hard to verbalise