Memory Systems In the external world there are a lot of memory systems, such as an appointment calendar, a video tape, a compact disc and a computer. These artificial memory systems have been a source for ideas about possible functioning of the human memory system. The computer, for example, has served as a model for psychologists about cognitive processes and human memory. "The amount of information we can process is limited." Levels of Memory The classical theory of Richard C. Atkinson and Richard M. Shiffrin illustrates the information-processing approach. This is how the analogy works: The environment stimulates one or more sensory systems. This environmental information then passes three levels of memory called sensory memory, short-term memory and long-term memory. (These three levels will be explained later.) At each level, cognitive processes operate on the information, giving it meaning, refreshing it and integrating it. In the sensory memory, the information is encoded to go to the short term memory. There the information is encoded to go to the long term memory. This is illustrated in the scheme. Attention The amount of information, that can be processed is limited. The main bottle-neck is attention. If you are distracted by a TV program, while you are trying to study, your attention will be divided over both the book and the TV. When you would study without having the TV on, you would have more attention to 'spend' on your study. Cognitive processes determine which of the available information will be used and which will be ignored. Flow of Information The flow of information in this system is interactive. Sensory information streams bottom-up to more central stages and centrally guided attention driven by mental representations modulates (top-driven) sensory information.  Further reading:   Long-term memory   Short-term memory 1   Short-term memory 2   Long and short-term Do you have more information about Levels of memory? Please share it in our database. [ TOP ]   © ThinkQuest Team 26618. All Rights Reserved.