The Five-Store Model of Memory

The Five-Store Model of Memory describes how our memory works through five connected components: sensory memory (initial, brief storage of sensory information), short-term memory (temporary holding of recent information), long-term memory (permanent storage for extended periods), and two types of long-term memory—explicit (conscious recall of facts and events) and implicit (unconscious skills and habits). Information flows from sensory input to short-term, and with rehearsal, it moves into long-term storage. Retrieval brings stored information back into consciousness. This model helps explain how we perceive, retain, and recall information over time.