Memory

Psychology Essay Memory can be viewed as an active information-processing system that receives, organises, stores and recovers information. There are three stages to the sequence in which information is processed in memory; this is encoding, storage and retrieval. Encoding is the entire process of converting information in a useable form or code that can be stored in memory. Storage is the information that is retained in the memory, and retrieval is the process of locating and recovering the stored information from memory so that we are consciously aware of it. When the human memory works effectively, the encoding can lead to storage and the storage enables retrieval. Matthew will use this process during the course of the information he registers in his memory of the surrounding stimuli, of the course of the wedding reception. Matthew walks into the wedding reception and looks around, he notices the decorations, the band the guests; he becomes aware of the smells and textures of the floors he walks on. The information processed, is stored in the sensory memory. Sensory memory can be described as “the entry point of memory” or “the initial stage of the memory system in which all of the stimuli that bombard our senses are retained in their original form for a brief time.” If Matthew directs his attention to the information surrounding him long enough it can be transferred to the short-term memory. The information Matthew hears such as people dancing on the dance floor, people talking and music playing, will be processed in a sub system of sensory memory called the echoic memory, for auditory information, while the visual images that Matthew will process will be stored in the iconic memory system. The short term memory system will receive information from the sensory memory, usually holding around 7 plus or/minus pieces of information for an average of 18-20 seconds. As Matthew takes in the wedding reception over the duration period, he becomes unconsciously aware that the information he takes in will be stored in the short-term memory, if the information is “worked on”, thought about and processed in a variety of ways. This can also be described as working memory. However, if the information is not rehearsed or worked on, Matthew will lose the information and will not recall such things from the evening, if he was to share it a day or two later with some friends. Matthew could link all the information he receives or processes in an elaborative form to help him, to a later date, create a meaning or link to the information being stored in his short-term memory. For example, if Matthew had not heard the song that the bride and groom had their first dance too at the reception, he could take it in and process it in his short term memory, while a couple of days later, that same song may come on the radio and it Matthew may think “This is the song the couple danced to at their wedding!” Matthew has therefore linked new information with a meaning. During the wedding reception, Matthew begins dancing with a woman whose name is Mary. Matthew creates a personal link with Mary and the information of dancing with her and her name is encoded in his memory, and then stored which can then be enabled for retrieval at a later date. The groom wishes to then introduce some of his friends to Matthew, who he points to as he reveals their identities. This is Scott, Nathan, Karen, Keith, Brooke, Haley, Lucas, and Peyton. As the names of the guests are read out, Matthew goes over the names in his head matching them up to the people he is introduced to. The names Matthew is most likely to remember is the last few names read out such as Haley Lucas and Peyton. This is because the last few names read out the ones that will remain in his echoic memory and he will have less difficulty remembering them when called upon. As Matthew grows a personal connection to each guest he was introduced to, the names will become easier to remember as the brain makes a chemical link with the wedding and the introduced guests with the names to match. The chemical process that is introduced will become stronger each time that Matthew recalls a certain name. As long as Matthew keeps recalling the information of the names and the chemical link is strong the information can be transferred from the short term memory to the long term memory.