What are the three stages of the Information Processing Model?

What are the three stages of the Information Processing Model?

• A. Retrieval; Encoding; Storage
• B. Storage; Encoding; Retrieval
• C. Encoding; Storage; Retrieval
• D. Retrieval; Storage; Encoding

Answer: (C)

The Information Processing Model outlines memory flowing through three stages in sequence: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is how we convert incoming sensory information into a usable mental representation. Storage is keeping that encoded information over time, across short-term and long-term memory. Retrieval is bringing the stored information back into awareness when needed. This question’s correct order—encoding, storage, retrieval—is essential because you can’t retrieve something you haven’t encoded, and you can’t store something before it’s encoded. Options that place retrieval before encoding or storage fail to reflect the actual flow of processing.

The Information Processing Model outlines memory flowing through three stages in sequence: encoding, storage, and retrieval. Encoding is how we convert incoming sensory information into a usable mental representation. Storage is keeping that encoded information over time, across short-term and long-term memory. Retrieval is bringing the stored information back into awareness when needed.

This question’s correct order—encoding, storage, retrieval—is essential because you can’t retrieve something you haven’t encoded, and you can’t store something before it’s encoded. Options that place retrieval before encoding or storage fail to reflect the actual flow of processing.