Our memory is used to think about the past and plan for the future. Without it, we would not be able to take in important information and learn new things. It is an incredible system that continues to evolve as we grow.

Memory is processed in three general stages. The first is called encoding, which is when the memory system takes in new information. In order for this to happen, we must convert the information into recognizable “codes”. The main types of “codes” are known as visual, acoustic, and semantic encoding. Visual encoding is the mechanism we use to process images. For instance, a person may remember a list of words by noticing the way they are written (capital letters, font, italics...etc.). Acoustic encoding is memorization by sound. Instead of looking at the list of words, one may rehearse them out loud (or in your head) instead. Lastly, semantic encoding is what we use to remember information by their meanings. In our example, semantic encoding can be used by remembering the definitions of the words.

The next stage is memory storage. There are two types of memory storage: short term and long term. Short-term memory is memory that is stored for a relatively brief and limited amount of time, whereas long-term memory is usually permanent and unlimited. Because short-term memory is only temporary, we are able transfer information from short-term memory to long-term memory.

The final stage is known as memory retrieval. This is when we take information out of storage. If we forget something, it could be because we can’t retrieve the information we are seeking. The two kinds of memory retrieval are recall and recognition. When we recall something, information is directly obtained from memories. In recognition, we use a cue to indicate that we have seen particular information before. In other words, a cue is an object or scene that reminds us of something related.

As you can see, our minds do a lot of work when it comes to remembering information. Sometimes, you may not even realize that all of this is happening behind the scenes. While we have made many discoveries about memory, there is still much to uncover. Today, scientists are working to understand the factors that influence our memory retention.