Final answer:
Information from stimuli becomes a memory through stages of sensory memory, short-term memory, and eventually long-term memory. Sensory memory briefly captures sensory events, then important information is transferred to short-term memory, where it is encoded and rehearsed before moving to long-term memory for storage. Retrieval is the final stage, involving getting information out of storage.
Step-by-step explanation:
How Information from Stimuli Becomes a Memory
The process by which information from stimuli becomes a memory entails a complex series of stages. Initially, the sensory memory captures sensory events like sights and sounds for a brief period of a few seconds. During this phase, most sensory information is discarded unless it's deemed valuable, at which point it moves into short-term memory (STM). Spatial and visual coding occurs here, helping to organize and label the incoming information.
Once in short-term memory, the information can be manipulated. STM holds about seven pieces of information for a short duration unless rehearsed. Information that is rehearsed or considered important proceeds to long-term memory for permanent storage. The creation of memories often involves the process of encoding, which organizes and connects new information to existing knowledge. Long-term memory is extensive and can hold a vast quantity of information that can be retrieved when necessary, linking back to earlier memories or knowledge.
Encoding, in this pathway, helps to input information into the memory system. Through both automatic and effortful processing, our brains label, code, and organize sensory input, associating new concepts with pre-existing ones. Finally, retrieval is the act of getting the information back out of storage into conscious awareness.