The study of memory has benefited from advances in computer science. When the brain engages in the processing of memories, it performs similarly to a computer (with some notable exceptions, which we discuss in this article).

What Is Encoding?

Encoding refers to the acquisition of information and its transformation into a form the memory system can manage.Your computer can encode a variety of types of inputs, from strokes of your keyboard to swipes on a touchscreen to recordings of images and sound. All of these inputs must be translated into series of zeros and ones that your central processing unit (CPU) can understand and manipulate.Similarly, our sensory systems bring in large quantities of data in the form of light and sound energy, molecules dissolve in our nose or on our tongue, and pressure or heat on our skin. These various types of inputs must be translated, or transduced, into patterns of electrical signals called action potentials, which the brain (our equivalent of the computer's CPU) can process further.

What Is Storage?

Like your computer, the human brain must store information it has learned. Storage of memories by the brain can last from seconds to a lifetime. In another article, we explore how information passes through three stages on its way to long-term memory.Your computer stores exact copies of information in very reliable ways, like putting papers in a file. Your brain does not do this at all. Instead, the brain stores information in bits that are later reconstructed into usable memories. This means that while generally reliable, human memories can vary in ways that information retrieved from a computer will not.In either case, our ability to access our memories can be improved by using good organizational skills. If you try to link new information to things you already know, retrieving the new information will be much easier. Remembering unorganized information can be very difficult.

What Is Retrieval?

Retrieval refers to the locating of information to be used. Retrieval can be negatively impacted by factors such as stress during an exam or interference, which we discuss in a separate article. Many cases we consider "forgetting" are not the true loss of information, but rather problems with retrieving information we really know. Many students remember the answers to a difficult exam problem only after turning the exam in to the instructor.

Understanding the processes of encoding, storage, and retrieval can help you develop better learning skills. If you know the risks of losing information during this processing continuum, you are better prepared to avoid problems.