Levels of Processing model

The Levels of Processing model, created by <a href="/facts/Fergus_I._M._Craik/jMYU0lCv">Fergus I. M. Craik</a> and Robert S. Lockhart in 1972, describes <a href="/facts/Memory/a1QSEJhj">memory</a> <a href="/facts/Recollection/flxSh2qP">recall</a> of <a href="/facts/Stimulus_(physiology)/aBcpBfYQ">stimuli</a> as a function of the depth of mental processing. More analysis produce more elaborate and stronger memory than lower levels of processing. Depth of processing falls on a shallow to deep continuum. Shallow processing (e.g., processing based on <a href="/facts/Phonemic/EXGHlJ7a">phonemic</a> and <a href="/facts/Orthography/sJPhCpsU">orthographic</a> components) leads to a fragile memory trace that is susceptible to rapid decay. Conversely, deep processing (e.g., <a href="/facts/Semantic_processing/tzzNgNsC">semantic processing</a>) results in a more durable memory trace. There are three levels of processing in this model. Structural processing, or visual, is when we remember only the physical quality of the word (e.g. how the word is spelled and how letters look). Phonemic processing includes remembering the word by the way it sounds (e.g. the word tall rhymes with fall). Lastly, we have semantic processing in which we encode the meaning of the word with another word that is similar or has similar meaning. Once the word is perceived, the brain allows for a deeper processing. 
This theory contradicts the multi-store <a href="/facts/Atkinson-Shiffrin_memory_model/NhhcGtnL">Atkinson-Shiffrin memory model</a> which represents memory strength as being continuously variable, the assumption being that rehearsal always improves long-term memory. They argued that rehearsal that consists simply of repeating previous analyses (maintenance rehearsal) doesn't enhance long-term memory.
In a study from 1975 (Craik and <a href="/facts/Endel_Tulving/2yvt9WJz">Tulving</a>) participants were given a list of 60 words. Each word was presented along with three questions. The participant had to answer one of them. Those three questions were in one of three categories. One category of questions was about how the word was presented visually ("Is the word shown in italics?"). The second category of questions was about the phonemic qualities of the word ("Does the word begin with the sound 'bee'?"). The third category of questions was presented so that the reader was forced to think about the word within a certain context. ("Can you meet one in the street [a friend]"?) The result of this study showed that the words which contained deep processing (the latter) were remembered better.

Levels of Processing model open-in-new

Levels of Processing model