HUMAN MEMORY RESEARCH

here is just some research that i have been doing on the brain and human memory :)

WHAT IS MEMORY?

Human memory refers to the concept of remembering and recalling data and information. the human memory is composed of many different strucutres that each plays a specific part in creating, storing and recalling memories.

THE BRAIN

Memories are stored in a part of the brain called the hippocampus. There are two hippocampuses n the brain, one on the left and one on the rite side of the brain. They are shaped like banas, and are located near the ears.

The cortext is the part of the brain that recieves the data from the hippocampus. The cortex is a layer of cells on top of the brain. each part of the cortex has a specific responsibility, such as smelling or hearing.

TYPES OF MEMORY

Human memory is classified into three types: sensory, short-term and long-term.

SENSORY MEMORY: Sensory memory is the ability to store sensory experiences temporaraily, as they are produced. the sensory store is the place where these short memories are kept. Sensory memory works unconsciously and automatically.

A person's sensory memory can store data from any of the five senses, but echoic memory (memory of sounds) and iconic memory (memory of visual images) are the most common form of sensory memories. Data in the sensory memory is only temporary, and usually lasts from a quarter of a second to a few seconds. If the information is relevant, the data is moved into 'short-term memory'

SHORT-TERM MEMORY: Short-term memory is when the brain only retains information for a few minutes. it is also called primary or active memory. on average, a person has the ability to retain seven pieces of data in their short-term memory. Within short term memory, there are three stages: iconic memory, echoic memory, and working memory (process which holds onto the information until it is used).

LONG-TERM MEMORY: Long-term memory is the storing place of information that is influenced by the environment surrounding us. This kind of memory is the structure of which new information can be remembered.

Long-term memory is also a powerful stimulus on the perception of sensory data. Data that has been stored in our long-term memory effects how we view data in our sensory memory.

Creating a long-term memory in the brain usually requires three phases: acquisition, storage and retrieval. To be able to remember something, the brain first must acquire the relevant information, and then store it. After this information is stored, it can be retreived any time.

People encounter thousands of pieces of data everyday, but only the important information makes an impression on the hippocampus, and then moved to other parts of the brain for long-term storage.