Final answer:
Memory is the retention of information over time through encoding, storage, and retrieval.
Step-by-step explanation:
Memory is the retention of information over time through encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding involves inputting information into the memory system, storage is the retention of encoded information, and retrieval is the process of getting information out of memory and back into awareness. These three activities are essential for memory to function effectively. Memory is the retention of information over time through the processes of encoding, storage, and retrieval. These three fundamental activities are essential for keeping and recalling information. Encoding is the initial process of getting information into our memory system, which can be achieved through automatic or effortful processing. Once information is encoded, it is then stored, which involves retention and the creation of a permanent record of the information. Retrieval is the last step, which is the act of getting information out of storage and back into conscious awareness. This can occur via recall, recognition, and relearning. These concepts fit within the broader understanding of the Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory, which outlines that information passes through sensory memory and short-term memory before it becomes part of the long-term memory. Long-term memory has an expansive capacity and includes both implicit and explicit memories. Memory can be seen as a set of processes used to encode, store, and retrieve information over different periods of time, much like a computer processes data.