Perception and Memory

There is a further assumption of the levels-of-processing approach that deserves brief discussion. According to Craik and Lockhart (1972), memory traces can be regarded as records of analyses carried out during perception. As a result, brain areas involved in perception and storage of information should be reactivated when memory is tested. Brain-imaging research supporting that position is discussed by Nyberg (2002). For example, consider a study by Nyberg et al. (2003). Participants initially learned visually presented words paired with sounds. After that, they performed a recognition memory test on visually presented words paired with sounds. After that, they performed a recognition memory test on visually presented words, but were not required to remember any auditory information. In spite of that, there was increased brain activity in auditory regions of the temporal lobes. As Nyberg (2002, p.346) pointed out, this finding provides "storage evidence that perceptual information is part of memory traces".