Information Technology Reference
In-Depth Information
As a review of this section, look at Table 5.1 which outlines the characteristics of
the memory stores.
Table 5.1
Characteristics of the Memory Stores
Store
Characteristics
Sensory memory
•
Virtually unlimited capacity
•
Holds information in unorganized form
•
Information is quickly lost if it is not further processed
Working memory
•
Limited capacity
•
Conscious component of the memory stores
•
The workbench where thinking and problem solving occur
•
A processing bottleneck
•
Contains a verbal and visual processor that work independently
Long-term
memory
•
Virtually unlimited capacity
•
Permanent information store
•
Stores information in the form of schemas and images, encoded from
working memory
Cognitive Processes
We examined the characteristics of the memory stores, but how does information
move from one memory store to another? And, how do we store information most
efficiently? To answer these questions, let us look again at the model of human
memory first presented in Fig. 5.1, focusing now on the processes—
attention, per-
ception, encoding,
and
retrieval
—that move information from one store to another.
They are highlighted in Fig. 5.6 and discussed in the sections that follow.
Metacognition
Attention
Stimuli
Encodin
g
Retrieval
Perception
Fig. 5.6
Cognitive processes
