Hockenbury Discovering Psychology 5th txtbk

232 CHAPTER 6 MemorymemoryThe mental processes that enable you toretain and retrieve information over time.encodingThe process of transforming informationinto a form that can be entered into andretained by the memory system.storageThe process of retaining information in mem -ory so that it can be used at a later time.retrievalThe process of recovering informationstored in memory so that we are consciouslyaware of it.stage model of memoryA model describing memory as consisting ofthree distinct stages: sensory memory,short-term memory, and long-term memory.>> Introduction: What Is Memory?Key Theme• Memory is a group of related mental processes that are involved inacquiring, storing, and retrieving information.Key Questions• What are encoding, storage, and retrieval?• What is the stage model of memory?• What are the nature and function of sensory memory?Like Elizabeth’s memories of her uncle’s home, memories can be vivid and evokeintense emotions. We can conjure up distinct memories that involve all our senses,including smells, sounds, and even tactile sensations. For example, close your eyesand try to recall the feeling of rain-soaked clothes against your skin, the smell of popcorn,and the sound of the half-time buzzer during a high school basketball game.Memory refers to the mental processes that enable us to acquire, retain, andretrieve information. Rather than being a single process, memory involves threefundamental processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval.Encoding refers to the process of transforming information into a form thatcan be entered and retained by the memory system. For example, to memorizethe definition of a key term that appears on a text page, you would visually encodethe patterns of lines and dots on the page as meaningful words that could be retainedby your memory. Storage is the process of retaining information in memoryso that it can be used at a later time. Retrieval involves recovering the storedinformation so that we are consciously aware of it.Memories Can Involve All Your SensesThink back to a particularly memorableexperience from your high school years.Can you conjure up vivid memories ofsmells, tastes, sounds, or emotions associatedwith that experience? In the years tocome, these teenagers may remembermany sensory details associated with thissummer gathering at the lake.The Stage Model of MemoryNo single model has been shown to capture all aspects of human memory (Tulving,2007). However, one very influential model, the stage model of memory, is usefulin explaining the basic workings of memory. In this model, shown in Figure 6.1,memory involves three distinct stages: sensory memory, short-term memory, andlong-term memory (Atkinson & Shiffrin, 1968; Shiffrin & Atkinson, 1969). Thestage model is based on the idea that information is transferred from one memorystage to another.