Memory of Subjects of Communication: The Structural and Functional Components

Abstract

The essence of psychological theories of memory is highlighted in the article. It is proved that the memory of subjects of communication has a three-component structure: the sensory register, short-term and long- term memory. The specifics of the work of psychological mechanisms of each of its structural and functional components are revealed. Physical signs of new information items that are valuable to communication subjects, are transmitted to processing and preservation, and invaluable and unrecognized – are sent to the sensory register buffer. Two directions of movement of the signs of information units in the short-term memory – incoming and outgoing – are considered. Through the incoming direction, psychological mechanisms supply valuable signs of information units for parallel or sequential processing, integration into a holistic image and encoding, and through the outgoing – direct them to reproduction or to long-term memory for storage. In long-term memory, they activate the appropriate and inappropriate codes and represent their semantic concepts for both recognizing the signs of new information units and for reproducing memorized information in order to enrich, modify, consolidate or implement it.