The Importance and Usage of Memory in Learning

The ability to recall previously acquired information involves three processes: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Information that is obtained must be processed through encoding, then stored and later retrieved as needed. Information stored may be forgotten and is dependent upon how the information was learned and how often the information is used. Information not retrieved can be replaced with new memories and/or forgotten related to the lack of use (Cherry, 2010). Almost everything we do involves our memory. Whether is it remembering phone numbers, people's faces, names, anniversaries, how to ride a bicycle, or recalling a certain emotion felt as the result of one of our life experiences, our ability to remember and our reliance on our memory affects every aspect of our lives. It allows us to make a psychological connection between the past, present, and future and subsequently helps us to adjust our experiences and decisions so that we are less likely to make the same mistakes twice. Without memory such skills as problem-solving, critical thinking, and reading comprehension would not be possible. Additionally, the better our memory is in certain situations, the more likely we will be to complete tasks and acheive our goals quicker and more proficiently (Noll, 2010).

Reference

Cherry, K. (2010). Memory. Retrieved from http://psychology.about.com/od/cognitivepsychology/a/memory.htm

Noll, C. (2010). Importance of memory. Retrieved from
http://ezinearticles.com/?Importance-of-Memory&id=2916061