Final answer:
Psychologists have unearthed various strategies and types of encoding memory, with semantic processing noted as particularly effective. Memory is processed through stages of encoding, storage, and retrieval, with frameworks like the Atkinson-Shiffrin model providing insight into these processes. Recognition, recall, and relearning are key methods of retrieving memories.
Step-by-step explanation:
Understanding Memory Types and Processes
In the realm of psychology, understanding the intricacies of memory, including encoding, storage, and retrieval, is key to grasping how we remember and why we forget. Encoding is the initial learning of information; it is the process of inputting information into the memory system. Different strategies of encoding, such as visual, acoustic, and semantic processing, may influence how effectively memory is stored. Semantic encoding, which involves processing the meaning of words, is often recognized as the most effective form of encoding for memory retention according to studies by psychologists Fergus Craik and Endel Tulving.
Memory can be categorized as either short-term or long-term, with different subdivisions within each. For instance, long-term memory is comprised of explicit and implicit memory. Explicit or declarative memory is conscious and can be divided further into episodic memory, which includes our autobiographical events, and semantic memory, which encompasses facts and general knowledge. The Atkinson-Shiffrin model and Baddeley and Hitch's working memory model provide frameworks for understanding how memories move through these stages.
Retrieval practices, such as recall, recognition, and relearning, are critical for accessing stored information. Recall is the ability to retrieve information without cues, recognition involves identifying previously learned information, and relearning is the process of learning information that was previously learned and then forgotten. In all, these processes underscore the complexity and capability of our memory system.