Retrieval Process

Definition

The retrieval process refers to the act of accessing or recalling previously stored information from long-term memory. It involves bringing stored memories back into conscious awareness for use in cognitive tasks such as remembering facts or events.

Related terms

Recognition:

A type of retrieval process where we identify previously encountered stimuli or events as familiar or known when they are presented again.

Recall:

A type of retrieval process where we reproduce or reconstruct information that was previously encoded and stored in memory.

Priming:

A memory phenomenon where exposure to a stimulus (such as a word or image) influences the processing of related stimuli, making them more easily retrievable from memory.