Meaning of Memory in Psychology | Characteristics of Memory in Psychology

Meaning of Memory in Psychology

 

Meaning of Memory:

Memory is a special ability or mind through which learning can be retained and reproduced it and when required.

Old faculty group of psychologists had described memory as a specific ability or power of mind.

But modern psychologists maintained that memory is a mental activity rather than a power or ability of mind.

It includes three folded mental function :

In the first step, the individual needs to derive some experiences of the environment to register its impression called Learning.

 

In the next step the learning experiences received are being written in mind in the form of images.

In the third step, we try to reproduce the past image in the present in its original form called remembering.

So, from the above discussion it may be concluded thar memory is a mental activity of retaining and remembering of the experience that were learned previously.

The stages involved in the process are:

a) Learning:

In the first step, individual needs to derive some experience of the environment in orden to register its impression called learning. It is clear that memory cannot occur without prior learning.

b) Retention or retaining:

In the second stage learning experience received is being retained in mind in the form of image.

 

c) Recall or remembering:

In third stage we try to reproduce the past image in the present in its original form called remembering. In this step, images stored in mind are brought back to the conscious part of mind.

d) Recognition:

It is the fourth stage of memory. Recognition is the act of mentally verifying the correctness of the remembered facts.

Characteristics of Memory in Psychology 

 

The nature or characteristics of memory:

i. Experience of senses:

Memory needs direct experience of senses. In the absence of this, the question of memory does not arise.

ii. Exact revival:

Memory is an exact and unchanged revival or reproduction of the past experience of mind.

iii. Power of retention:

Memory depends upon the power of retention, which is inherited by birth. This power is unchangeable and strictly related to one's mental makeup.

 

iv. Influence of unconsciousness:

Unconscious mind plays an important role in exercise of one's memory.

v. Repetition:

Repetition makes memory image more durable. In the absence of repetition the image fades away.