Understanding:
• Memory is the process of encoding, storing and accessing information
Learned behaviour is modified by experiences and thus requires memory to recall and process this information
- If we could not remember past events, we couldn’t adapt our behaviour to new situations
Memory is the faculty of the mind by which information is encoded, stored and retrieved
- Encoding involves converting information into a form that can be stored (e.g. visual cues, sounds, semantics)
- Accessing involves the retrieval of stored information to be actively used in cognitive processes
Information can be stored as a short term memory (short recall duration) or long term memory (indefinite recall period)
- Short term memories can be converted to long term via the repetitive recall and consolidation of the information
- Information that is not stored as a memory will be forgotten and will have to be re-learned
Many parts of the brain are involved in memory – including the prefrontal cortex and the hippocampus
Process of Memory Formation
