Memory and its Stages

Generally, the ability to recall a learned content or an activity when it is needed is called memory, but in psychological terminology, memory is a mental process which is found in each organism in more or less measure. Psychologists have explained that when a man perceives an object, place or person, or receives any other experience by any other sense organ, then these are accumulated in his unconscious mind in the form of symbol, mark or code. In their view, memory is the process of bringing these accumulated experiences in the unconscious mind to the conscious mind when needed. For example, when a man watches an incident, then it is accumulated in his unconscious mind fully or partially. If due to any occurs to the conscious mind in the same form again.

Psychologists have defined memory in their own ways. However, the most suitable ones in the words of Woodworth:

Memory is the direct use of what is learned.                                                          –Woodworth

Hillgard has defined it in a clearer manner. In his words:

Memory is that mental process which involves recalling the previously learned knowledge, experience or skill.                                                                                                                                    –Hillgard

Psychologists have mentioned three stages or components of memory  — first: coding, second: storage, third: retrieval.

1. Coding: In coding, an individual receives information or experience in the form of a definite code in his nervous system. In other words, forming of memory traces in coding. It is also called registration.
2. Storage: The second stage of memory is storage. At this stage, the experiences obtained by coding are stored for some time. It is also called retention.
3. Retrieval: All this stage, the necessary information or experiences are retrieved out of the stored information or experiences. It is also called recall or remembering.

Hillgard has used two terms for different aspects or recall  — reintegration and relearning. When a man recalls any information or experience through a cue, for example, recalling the events of his marriage on seeing wedding photographs, then it is called reintegration. And when a man recalls the learnt material again, then it is called relearning. When a material is learnt again, then this can be learnt faster as compared to the first attempt, because some part of it is already stored in the first attempt.

Woodworth has mentioned four steps of the memory process.

1. Learning: We can memorize a content only when we have learnt it before. According to Guilford, in order to memorize a content well, clear learning is the first essential. A man should learn and memorize a content in order to increase the ability to memorize, he should relate new knowledge with previous knowledge and the lesson should be repeated again and again.
2. Retention: The second most important component of the memory process is retention of the learnt content. By retention is meant to store the content in the mind over a long period of time. When we learn a content, the mind becomes and some engrams are embossed in it, which are called memory traces. These traces exist in the conscious mind for some time and then they shift to the unconscious mind. When it is needed to memorize a content, then these traces are transferred from the unconscious mind to the conscious mind and the individual be able to present the learnt knowledge again.
3. Recall: By recall is meant to bring the past experiences from the unconscious mind to the conscious mind. This activity occurs when memory traces become active. These past experiences are brought to the conscious mind in the absence of original stimuli. If past experiences have not been retained well, then it is difficult to recall them. Recall is tested by paired association method. In addition to the power of retention, recall also depends on one’s emotional state’ a content learnt during the state of nervousness or fear is not memorized well. It is often seen that some candidates come for interview with a great preparation, but they say after the interview that they forgot everything due to panic or nervousness.
4. Recognition: Recognition is that ability by which past experiences or learnt facts are associated with or isolated from other facts to understand them clearly. For example, when we meet a man for the first  time,  then a reflection is formed in our mind by memory traces. When we meet that man again years later, these memory traces become prominent and we become able to recognize that man again.

Though recognition is a common experience, yet it is a complex and mysterious process. This process occurs automatically.