Memory Processing Models

THE THREE-STAGE MODEL OF MEMORY

Memory is the faculty of the brain by which data or information is encoded, stored, and retrieved when needed. The most widely accepted model, the **Atkinson-Shiffrin Model**, identifies three stages: **Sensory Memory** (immediate, brief recording), **Short-Term/Working Memory** (active processing, limited capacity), and **Long-Term Memory** (relatively permanent and limitless storage). In AP Psychology, understanding the flow between these stages is key to mastering the cognitive perspective.

ENCODING AND RETRIEVAL

Information moves from working memory to long-term memory through **encoding**—often aided by rehearsal or deep semantic processing. Retrieving that information later depends on cues and context. **Explicit memories** (facts and experiences) are processed in the hippocampus, while **implicit memories** (skills and classical conditioning) are processed in the cerebellum and basal ganglia. Errors in these processes lead to forgetting or false memories.

HOW TO USE THIS VISUALIZATION

1. **Input Data**: Watch icons representing sensory data enter the 'Buffer'. Notice how quickly they disappear if not 'Attended To'. 2. **Working Memory**: Click on items in the buffer to move them to Working Memory. Observe the '7 ± 2' capacity limit as new items displace old ones. 3. **Rehearsal Loop**: Hover over an item in Working Memory to see the 'Maintenance Rehearsal' loop increase its 'Strength' for transfer to Long-Term Storage. 4. **Test Retrieval**: Search for a specific icon in the Long-Term vault. Watch the 'Retrieval Pathway' light up and bring the item back into Working Memory for active use.

AP EXAM CONNECTION

KEY TAKEAWAYS

• The three stages are Sensory, Short-Term, and Long-Term memory.
• Working memory has a limited capacity of roughly 7 items.
• The hippocampus is vital for encoding explicit memories.
• Encoding can be shallow (visual/acoustic) or deep (semantic).