Human memory has been perplexing to science from a long time. But now we know certain pivotal procedures in memorizing or making a memory; be it long term memory or short term memory. Though we cannot claim to master the art of memory but by developing an understanding of each step of the human memory model, can certainly help manage our memories a bit better. There are three steps in the human memory model:
Encoding: As the name suggests, encoding means converting information for the brain into a language that the human mind can later quickly and readily recall and understand.Human mind stores memory through visual, verbal or semantics (meaning) means. Some people have photographic memory,that is they can encode a picture of what they see. For example, recalling an entire page including the page number when sitting for the exam and a question is to be answered. This is visual encoding. If the person repeats the answer to himself then he is using verbal encoding. Verbal or acoustic encoding is said to be the fundamental encoding system for short term memory.
Unfortunately information in short term memory is often lost. This can be dealt with employing either of the two techniques of maintenance rehearsal or elaboration rehearsal. Maintenance rehearsal simply means repeating a particular piece of information over and over again. There is no guarantee that it would become part of the long term memory. So another better technique is elaboration rehearsal, where you try to remember something by trying to make sense of the information by thinking about it.
Long term memory , however is said to use semantics as the fundamental encoding system. Advertisers use this to lure in customers. In some advertisements, humor is used, the advertisers there are trying to hit semantics, they want to make people laugh so they feel good about the ad and consequently their product , this would help them remember the product when they go shopping because the product would then have become part of their long term memory.
Maintenance : Maintenance or storage is when information is kept in the mental inventory for later retrieval. Depending on the wish of the person this could be either short term or long term. Short term memory has a limited capacity where new information often replaces old information. But Long term memory is said to have infinite capacity. Students store information for later use for a quiz.
Decoding : Short term memory decoding is different from long term memory decoding. People tend to decode from short term memory in the same order that they encoded the information. For example, when you learn the way to someone’s house , you decode it street by street , turn by turn , the same way you encoded the information , any interference in encoding or decoding might result in the whole information being forgotten. While decoding from long term memorywould be helpful if you employ semantics. Say, recalling a particular part of the conversation might mean thinking about the surroundings, the people and how that conversation made you feel and think.
Another factor which has implications on the memory process is called interference theory, which basically addresses forgetting a particular piece of information. Retroactive interference , states that onset of new information clouds older , similar information. So old information is lost. What we can do as students is try to define various sets of information and keep them in their separate holding places. So when we go to learn something newer we know that it shouldn’t be mixed with the old memories. So conscious maintenance interference , as well as working with the information in more than one context would be helpful in retroactive. Another term called proactive interference, which means mix up of old information with new information results in new information being lost. We can use more active encoding via encouraging chunking so that we would help in focusing and remembering a wider set of information. This would help in new information’s maintenance.
Forgetting of any other kind occurs when there is a basic lapse in transitioning of information from one step to the next. It is thus imperative that information that the person wishes to store should never be crammed up; it should be actively consolidated and chunked; it should be related to a relevant knowledge; personal coding systems could be used such as personal abbreviation for complex information and regular practice should be carried out to diminish the risk of fading out.