Short Term Memory Analysis

The examples tell us that our memory does not have everything readily available to us, and that sometimes we need particular triggers from our senses (like playing with a lock) in order to remember a specific memory. They also tell us that most things are stored in our memories, even if it is unintentional, like an odour. However, even if things are in our memory, we still may not be able to retrieve them (like the teachers' name). Another thing the examples tell us is that not everything is coded into our long term memory (like the phone number), especially if we, or our brain, consider it to be not overly important. This example also shows that it is helpful to have different types of memory. It is important to have different types of memory because they activate different parts of a persons' brain when trying to remember something; whether it's past personal memories, facts, or just a combination to a lock from high school (Goldstein, E.B., 2015, Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research, and Everyday Experience).

If everything was stored in our long-term memory it would take a while to retrieve what is needed (mostly because we would not have our short term memory to help sort it out), and if everything was stored into our short term memory, we would forget things all the time (we would be comparable to goldfish). This would probably create dysfunctional humans. We would lack the ability to remember things like speech, facts, and the ability to walk without constantly thinking about how to do it. Finally, with different types of memory, we have the ability to filter what we remember, even if it requires a little effort on our behalf (Goldstein, E.B., 2015, Cognitive Psychology: Connecting Mind, Research, and Everyday