Chapter 6

So the next chapter we're reading revolves around memory, which means this blog will probably have a bunch of boring factual information on memory. The question is:

What are the main steps or processes involved with memory and how does memory work?

There are 3 steps in memory.
The first process in memory is to get sensory information into another form that the brain can use. This is also known as encoding. An example of encoding could be any sound someone hears. When someone hears a sound, the ears turn the vibrations in the air to neural messages (from the auditory nerve) and from that, the brain can interpret the sound and classify it as a sound that is known or a sound that has been heard before.
The second step is to hold on to the given information for some period of time in a process that is known as storage. The period of time always varies and depends on the system of memory being used. Some information is held just long enough so it can be worked with, generally somewhere around 20 seconds. In a different system of memory, people hold onto it longer, such as knowledge in Psychology or Chemistry that needs to be known for the next test.
The third and final step is generally the most problematic phase in terms of memory, which is getting useful information out of storage for use, also known as retrieval.


There are 3 theories, or models, that suggest a basic explanation for how memory works.
One is called the information-processing model and this model is generally the most comprehensive according to researchers. It assumes that the processing of information for memory is similar to the way a computer processes (encodes, stores, and retrieves) memory and information.
The parallel distributed processing model suggests memory processes take place at the same time over a large network of neural connections.
The last model is called the levels-of-processing model. This suggests information is more "deeply processed"  or basically processed by its importance.