The need for an explanation of human memory Discuss the need for an explanation of human memory, which proposes that memory is a set of stages, rather than a single process. This essay will discuss the need for an explanation of human memory, which proposes that memory is a set of stages rather than a single process. Flanagan (1997) defines memory as "the mental function of storing data, the storage system that holds the data, and the data that is stored." It is evident from the literature review that an explanation of memory as a set of phases proves to be more understandable than as a single process, memory theories all provide information on how memory is structured and organized and the results of research studies inevitably point in the direction of memory existing as a set of stages rather than a single process. These are therefore the areas that need to be outlined in this essay to understand the need to explain human memory as a set of phases. The nature of memory can be explained as a set of stages that are necessary but not sufficient for memory to have taken place. These are "input" - recording or encoding of information, where a memory trace is formed from the translation of sensory data, "storage" which is temporary or permanent, and "output" which involves retrieval - memories would be useless unless that could not be recovered. It is these phases that constitute the fundamental characteristics of the memory process and for this to happen it is necessary for the data to be committed to the memory structure. The structure of memory can be separated into three distinct categories, sensory memory (input store) where sensory data remains unchanged in the mind for… middle of the paper… need for a stage-based explanation. In conclusion, the question posed was to "discuss the need for an explanation of human memory, which proposes that memory is a set of stages, rather than a single process." When trying to discuss this requirement it became apparent that the fact that memory is not a concrete item made it even more important that it be explained as a set of phases. This may be because, as a set of stages, the complex structure of memory is all the more understandable, and memory theories piece together a “story” of how the memory process may work. However, most if not all theories or models describe rather than explain the memory process (providing a guideline), so empirical evidence is really the only key to explaining why memory is a set of stages rather than a single process and it is from these that the "need" is derived.