Others say that it could be impossible to remember everything.

Some psychologists believe that long-term memory can store an unlimited amount of information. Psychologists have debated how much the human mind can remember for over a century. For example, you may forget a phone number if you don't write it down or repeat it aloud. Information may be forgotten when an effort to encode is not made or there are challenges with one's memory. In some cases, encoding requires a conscious effort, like saying a phone number out loud to remember it. You may encode each event that happens to you, from your conversation with a coworker to the type of cookies you choose to bring to a work function. For example, you are partaking in this type of encoding if you remember a street address by associating it with a family birthday.Įncoding is often constantly done, almost without awareness. Semantic: In this encoding type, you convert information into a format with special meaning. This technique is the kind of encoding used when you say a phone number out loud to remember it. Another example is remembering which way to turn at an intersection by recalling visual landmarks like buildings or street signs.Īcoustic: You may also convert information into a 'sound byte' by focusing on what you hear or repeating a phrase aloud. Visual: Through visual encoding, you can convert information into an image, often called a 'mental picture.' For example, pairing someone's name with the appearance of their face is an example of visual encoding. There are three formats that the brain recognizes in the encoding process, including the following: Stage One: Encodingīefore you can remember a piece of information, it needs to be converted into a format that makes sense. Although this process can seem instantaneous, there are three specific tasks you use to retrieve this information. When you struggle to remember information, you might devise a mnemonic device or wait until the memory reappears. In addition, you might not be able to predict what form the memories take, remembering them as a whole or in bits and pieces. You may not think you are making any conscious effort to remember and that the memories sit in the brain. The act of remembering may seem quick and straightforward if your memory is functioning normally. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, memory is 'the power or process of reproducing or recalling what has been learned and retained, especially through associative mechanisms.' However, the word can also mean a commemorative remembrance, such as a monument.Īnother definition of memory is 'a particular act of recollection or recall' or 'the image or impression of one that is remembered.' This memory definition may be used when discussing positive or negative long-term memories of a past event like your childhood.

False memories synonym