What Are the 5 Stages of Memory?

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsStage 1Stage 2:Stage 3Stage 4

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Stage 1

Stage 2:

Stage 3

Stage 4

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Stage 1: Encoding

Encodingis the first stage of memory, and it refers to the process of converting information into a format that can be stored in our memory:

Different Types of Memories

Stage 2: Storage

Storage refers to the process of keeping the information in our memory so that we can access it at a later time.When we store information in our memory, we are essentially creating a mental representation of that information. This mental representation can be in the form of a picture, a sound, or a feeling.

The Psychology of Forgetting and Why Memory Fails

Stage 3: Recall

Recall refers to the process of retrieving information from our memory.In order to recall information from our memory, we must first have encoded and stored that information in our memory.

How to Improve Memory Effectively

Stage 4: Retrieval

Retrieval is similar to recall: retrieval is the process of actively searching for information in our memory stores, while recall is the process of passively remembering information.

Stage 5: Forgetting

Forgettingrefers to the inability to retrieve information from memory.There are a number of reasons why we might forget something, including failure to adequately encode the information in the first place or emotionally motivated difficulties in retrieving information when we need it.

Overall, memory is a complex process that involves several different stages. By understanding how each stage works, you can better understand how our memory works as a whole.

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11 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Zlotnik G, Vansintjan A.Memory: An Extended Definition.Front Psychol. 2019;10:2523. Published 2019 Nov 7. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02523Cheke LG.What-where-when memory and encoding strategies in healthy aging.Learn Mem. 2016;23(3):121-126. Published 2016 Feb 16. doi:10.1101/lm.040840.115Popp EY, Serra MJ.Adaptive memory: Animacy enhances free recall but impairs cued recall.J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2016;42(2):186-201. doi:10.1037/xlm0000174Bower ES, Szajer J, Murphy C.Effect of Worry Level on Recall Memory for Odors in ApoE-ε4 Carriers and Non-Carriers. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2019 May;25(5):546-556. doi: 10.1017/S1355617719000158. Epub 2019 Apr 16. PMID: 30987686; PMCID: PMC6534430.Wheeler RL, Gabbert F.Using Self-Generated Cues to Facilitate Recall: A Narrative Review. Front Psychol. 2017 Oct 27;8:1830. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01830. PMID: 29163254; PMCID: PMC5664228.deBettencourt MT, Williams SD, Vogel EK, Awh E.Sustained Attention and Spatial Attention Distinctly Influence Long-term Memory Encoding. J Cogn Neurosci. 2021 Sep 1;33(10):2132-2148. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_01748. PMID: 34496022; PMCID: PMC9045332.Brewer G, Unsworth N.Individual differences in the effects of retrieval from long-term memory. Journal of Memory and Language. 2012 Apr;66(3):407-415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2011.12.009Ngo KWJ, Biss RK, Hasher L.Time of day effects on the use of distraction to minimise forgetting.Q J Exp Psychol (Hove). 2018;71(11):2334-2341. doi:10.1177/1747021817740808Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al., editors.Neuroscience. 2nd edition. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2001. Forgetting. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10964/Harvard Health Publishing.7 Common Causes of Forgetfulness.Crossley M, Lorenzetti FD, Naskar S, et al.Proactive and retroactive interference with associative memory consolidation in the snailLymnaeais time and circuit dependent.Commun Biol. 2019;2:242. Published 2019 Jun 26. doi:10.1038/s42003-019-0470-y

11 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Zlotnik G, Vansintjan A.Memory: An Extended Definition.Front Psychol. 2019;10:2523. Published 2019 Nov 7. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02523Cheke LG.What-where-when memory and encoding strategies in healthy aging.Learn Mem. 2016;23(3):121-126. Published 2016 Feb 16. doi:10.1101/lm.040840.115Popp EY, Serra MJ.Adaptive memory: Animacy enhances free recall but impairs cued recall.J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2016;42(2):186-201. doi:10.1037/xlm0000174Bower ES, Szajer J, Murphy C.Effect of Worry Level on Recall Memory for Odors in ApoE-ε4 Carriers and Non-Carriers. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2019 May;25(5):546-556. doi: 10.1017/S1355617719000158. Epub 2019 Apr 16. PMID: 30987686; PMCID: PMC6534430.Wheeler RL, Gabbert F.Using Self-Generated Cues to Facilitate Recall: A Narrative Review. Front Psychol. 2017 Oct 27;8:1830. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01830. PMID: 29163254; PMCID: PMC5664228.deBettencourt MT, Williams SD, Vogel EK, Awh E.Sustained Attention and Spatial Attention Distinctly Influence Long-term Memory Encoding. J Cogn Neurosci. 2021 Sep 1;33(10):2132-2148. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_01748. PMID: 34496022; PMCID: PMC9045332.Brewer G, Unsworth N.Individual differences in the effects of retrieval from long-term memory. Journal of Memory and Language. 2012 Apr;66(3):407-415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2011.12.009Ngo KWJ, Biss RK, Hasher L.Time of day effects on the use of distraction to minimise forgetting.Q J Exp Psychol (Hove). 2018;71(11):2334-2341. doi:10.1177/1747021817740808Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al., editors.Neuroscience. 2nd edition. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2001. Forgetting. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10964/Harvard Health Publishing.7 Common Causes of Forgetfulness.Crossley M, Lorenzetti FD, Naskar S, et al.Proactive and retroactive interference with associative memory consolidation in the snailLymnaeais time and circuit dependent.Commun Biol. 2019;2:242. Published 2019 Jun 26. doi:10.1038/s42003-019-0470-y

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Zlotnik G, Vansintjan A.Memory: An Extended Definition.Front Psychol. 2019;10:2523. Published 2019 Nov 7. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02523Cheke LG.What-where-when memory and encoding strategies in healthy aging.Learn Mem. 2016;23(3):121-126. Published 2016 Feb 16. doi:10.1101/lm.040840.115Popp EY, Serra MJ.Adaptive memory: Animacy enhances free recall but impairs cued recall.J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2016;42(2):186-201. doi:10.1037/xlm0000174Bower ES, Szajer J, Murphy C.Effect of Worry Level on Recall Memory for Odors in ApoE-ε4 Carriers and Non-Carriers. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2019 May;25(5):546-556. doi: 10.1017/S1355617719000158. Epub 2019 Apr 16. PMID: 30987686; PMCID: PMC6534430.Wheeler RL, Gabbert F.Using Self-Generated Cues to Facilitate Recall: A Narrative Review. Front Psychol. 2017 Oct 27;8:1830. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01830. PMID: 29163254; PMCID: PMC5664228.deBettencourt MT, Williams SD, Vogel EK, Awh E.Sustained Attention and Spatial Attention Distinctly Influence Long-term Memory Encoding. J Cogn Neurosci. 2021 Sep 1;33(10):2132-2148. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_01748. PMID: 34496022; PMCID: PMC9045332.Brewer G, Unsworth N.Individual differences in the effects of retrieval from long-term memory. Journal of Memory and Language. 2012 Apr;66(3):407-415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2011.12.009Ngo KWJ, Biss RK, Hasher L.Time of day effects on the use of distraction to minimise forgetting.Q J Exp Psychol (Hove). 2018;71(11):2334-2341. doi:10.1177/1747021817740808Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al., editors.Neuroscience. 2nd edition. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2001. Forgetting. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10964/Harvard Health Publishing.7 Common Causes of Forgetfulness.Crossley M, Lorenzetti FD, Naskar S, et al.Proactive and retroactive interference with associative memory consolidation in the snailLymnaeais time and circuit dependent.Commun Biol. 2019;2:242. Published 2019 Jun 26. doi:10.1038/s42003-019-0470-y

Zlotnik G, Vansintjan A.Memory: An Extended Definition.Front Psychol. 2019;10:2523. Published 2019 Nov 7. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2019.02523

Cheke LG.What-where-when memory and encoding strategies in healthy aging.Learn Mem. 2016;23(3):121-126. Published 2016 Feb 16. doi:10.1101/lm.040840.115

Popp EY, Serra MJ.Adaptive memory: Animacy enhances free recall but impairs cued recall.J Exp Psychol Learn Mem Cogn. 2016;42(2):186-201. doi:10.1037/xlm0000174

Bower ES, Szajer J, Murphy C.Effect of Worry Level on Recall Memory for Odors in ApoE-ε4 Carriers and Non-Carriers. J Int Neuropsychol Soc. 2019 May;25(5):546-556. doi: 10.1017/S1355617719000158. Epub 2019 Apr 16. PMID: 30987686; PMCID: PMC6534430.

Wheeler RL, Gabbert F.Using Self-Generated Cues to Facilitate Recall: A Narrative Review. Front Psychol. 2017 Oct 27;8:1830. doi: 10.3389/fpsyg.2017.01830. PMID: 29163254; PMCID: PMC5664228.

deBettencourt MT, Williams SD, Vogel EK, Awh E.Sustained Attention and Spatial Attention Distinctly Influence Long-term Memory Encoding. J Cogn Neurosci. 2021 Sep 1;33(10):2132-2148. doi: 10.1162/jocn_a_01748. PMID: 34496022; PMCID: PMC9045332.

Brewer G, Unsworth N.Individual differences in the effects of retrieval from long-term memory. Journal of Memory and Language. 2012 Apr;66(3):407-415. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jml.2011.12.009

Ngo KWJ, Biss RK, Hasher L.Time of day effects on the use of distraction to minimise forgetting.Q J Exp Psychol (Hove). 2018;71(11):2334-2341. doi:10.1177/1747021817740808

Purves D, Augustine GJ, Fitzpatrick D, et al., editors.Neuroscience. 2nd edition. Sunderland (MA): Sinauer Associates; 2001. Forgetting. Available from: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10964/

Harvard Health Publishing.7 Common Causes of Forgetfulness.

Crossley M, Lorenzetti FD, Naskar S, et al.Proactive and retroactive interference with associative memory consolidation in the snailLymnaeais time and circuit dependent.Commun Biol. 2019;2:242. Published 2019 Jun 26. doi:10.1038/s42003-019-0470-y

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