Theories That Incorporate Memory

Cognitive psychology represents the dominant theoretical perspective in psychology today. A fundamental component to this approach is memory (the storage and retrieval of information). There are a multitude of theories which incorporate the learning concept of memory. One of these theories is the "levels-of-processing" theory which is based upon the work of Craik and Lockhart (1972). This theory proposes that each learner uses different levels of elaboration as they process information. For example, the continuum begins with perception, then attention, to labeling, and ultimately, meaning. "The key point is that all stimuli that activate a sensory receptor cell are permanently stored in memory, but that different levels of processing (i.e., elaboration) contribute to an ability to access, or retrieve, that memory" (Huitt, 2003, p. 1). One of the most widely known and accepted cognitive theories is the "stage theory" which is based upon the work of Atkinson and Shriffin (1968). This theory focuses on the process by which information is stored in one's memory. It proposes that information is processed and stored in three different stages such as sensory memory (affiliated with the transduction of energy), short-term memory (working or conscious memory), and long-term memory (preconscious or unconscious memory). Other related theories include those of Bruner which proposes that memory is "always an active reconstruction of existing knowledge" and Paivio which suggests that there is a "dual coding scheme for verbal and visual information" (Encyclopedia of Psychology, 2010, p.1).

References

Encyclopedia of Psychology (2010). Memory. Retrieved from http://www.psychology.org/links/Environment_Behavior_Relationships/Memory/

Huitt, W. (2003). The information processing approach to cognition. Educational Psychology Interactive. Valdosta, GA: Valdosta State University. Retrieved from http://www.edpsycinteractive.org/topics/cogsys/infoproc.html