How does memory work in the brain?

This position holds that the brain forms memories first through encoding — the initial step of registering information for storage. It describes the different routes by which this happens, including visual, acoustic and semantic encoding, and the processing that fixes a memory in place.

This position holds that memory works by storing information across multiple levels. It argues the brain holds memories in distinct systems—fleeting sensory memory, limited short-term working memory, and durable long-term memory—each playing a different role in how we recall things.

This position highlights retrieval as one of the most complex and consequential of the brain's memory processes — the everyday act of recalling stored information. It examines how retrieval works alongside forgetting, and what can be done to strengthen and improve memory.

This position highlights the intricate connection between emotion and memory. It argues that emotions play a powerful role in how memories are formed and recalled — vividly illustrated by 'flashbulb memories', the unusually detailed recollections we keep of emotionally charged events.

This position holds that memory is strongly shaped by our senses. It argues that sensory input — smell above all — can powerfully trigger and influence what we recall, with a particular scent able to summon vivid memories long after the event itself.