muistiprosessin

Muistiprosessi, or memory process, refers to the set of cognitive mechanisms involved in encoding, storing, and retrieving information. The process is typically described in three stages: encoding, consolidation (or storage), and retrieval. Encoding involves transforming sensory input into a form that can be processed and stored; it can be enhanced by attention, repetition, and meaningful association. Consolidation is the stabilization of encoded information, which can occur during wakeful activity or sleep; it is influenced by factors such as rehearsal, emotional salience, and neural plasticity. Retrieval is the act of bringing stored information into conscious awareness, and it can be cued by contextual, semantic, or procedural cues.

In psychology research, models of memory include the multi-store model, which distinguishes sensory, short‑term, and long‑term memory, and the working‑memory model, which expands the short‑term component into an active system with central executive, phonological loop, and visuospatial sketchpad components. Modern accounts also emphasize neural substrates such as hippocampal and cortical networks, as well as molecular mechanisms like protein synthesis in synaptic plasticity.

The study of muistiprosessi informs various applied fields, including education, where techniques such as spaced repetition and retrieval practice are used to improve learning outcomes; clinical psychology, where memory impairments may indicate neurological conditions; and artificial intelligence, where memory models inspire computational architectures. Understanding how memory processes operate and how they can be optimized remains a central goal of cognitive neuroscience and related disciplines.