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Editor's Notes

1. Long-term memory refers to the continuing storage of information. In Freudian psychology, long-term memory would be called the preconscious and unconscious. This information is largely outside of our awareness, but can be called into working memory to be used when needed. Some of this information is fairly easy to recall, while other memories are much more difficult to access. Memories are transferred into long-term storage through rehearsal. If memories are transferred into long-term memory, they become relatively permanent.There are actually three different typesof long-term memory.?Episodic memory?refers to our ability to recall personal experiences from our past. When we recount events that happened during our childhood, a ballet we saw last week, or what we ate for breakfast, we are employing our long-term episodic memory. Semantic memory?stores facts and generalized information. It contains verbal information, concepts, rules, principles, and problem-solving skills. While episodic memory stores information as images, semantic memory stores information in networks or schemata. Information is most easily stored in semantic memory when it is?meaningful. Procedural memory?refers to the ability to remember how to perform a task or to employ a strategy. The steps in various procedures are apparently stored in a series of steps, or stimulus-response pairings. When we retrieve information from procedural memory, we retrieve one step, which triggers the next, which triggers the next.
2. Information is stored into our long term memory by which the three ways we store memories: First in the sensory stage; then in short-term memory; and ultimately, for some memories, in long-term memory. Important information is gradually transferred from short-term memory into long-term memory. The more the information is repeated or used, the more likely it is to eventually end up in long-term memory, or to be "retained." Unlike sensory and short-term memory, which are limited and decay rapidly, long-term memory can store unlimited amounts of information indefinitely.Sensory memory is one of the first levels of observation and memorization. You may see something or touch something, and when that object is no longer in front of you, you have a very distinct memory and impression of what that object was like. This allows you to assess your surroundings in future situations. An example would be when you first touched an ice cube. You will remember it being cold and hard. From then on, when you see things that are made of ice, or you perceive to be ice-like in nature, you will associate that with your very first impressions and memories of that ice cube.Short-term memory?(or "primary" or "active?memory") is the capacity for holding a small amount of?information?in?mind?in an active, readily available state for a short period of time. The duration of short-term memory (when rehearsal or active maintenance is prevented) is believed to be in the order of seconds. One test of short-term memory is memory span, the number of items, usually words or numbers, that a person can hold onto and recall. On the other hand, long-term memory is a system for permanently storing, managing, and retrieving information for later use. Items of information stored as long-term memory may be available for a lifetime. The more repeated exposure you have when learning something new (or studying material you've already been presented with), the more likely it will be to permanently store this information into your long-term memory, and the easier it will be to recall.
3. Critical thinking is the intellectually disciplined process of actively and skillfully conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing, and/or evaluating information gathered from, or generated by, observation, experience, reflection, reasoning, or communication, as a guide to belief and action. Information stored in your long-term memory keeps these experiences.?Memory provides a basic understand for the context of the skills needed to think critically. Information stored in your long-term memory keeps experiences. These experiences and senses affect the way your body uses the information.Information stored in long term memory can affect your critical thinking skills because long term memories can show what did not work in the past and what did work in the past, allowing one to choose actions that are more effective and to think critically about things that did not work out well. ?Basically, long term memory is the basis of experience, and greater experience can improve critical thinking because it is a repository of effective and ineffective experiences, allowing better choices in the future, the basis of critical thinking.
4. A human being¡¯s learning ability determines his quality of life. A student¡¯s ability to learn influences his grades, the quality of his education, and the choices he has for a career. The employee¡¯s ability to learn has a significant impact of his employment, promotion prospects and overall income or business success. When retirement age arrives, a well functioning mind can ward off degenerative brain diseases and age related mental decline.Research has shown that cognitive skills are a determining factor of an individual¡¯s learning ability. Cognitive abilities allows us to process the sensory information we collect. These include our ability to analyze, evaluate, retain information, recall experiences, make comparisons, and determine action.
5. Many children become frustrated and find school work difficult because they do not have the cognitive skills required to process information properly. Many employees find themselves stuck in dead end jobs that do not tap into their true vocational potential due to weak cognitive skills.Although cognitive skills have an distinctive component, the bulk of cognitive skills are learned and stored in memory. They can be practiced and improved with the right training. Weak cognitive skills can be strengthened, and normal cognitive skills can be enhanced to increase ease and performance in learning.