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Encoding - GCSE Psychology Definition

Reviewed by: Raj Bonsor

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Encoding in psychology is the process of taking in new information and changing it into a form that our brain can store and remember.

When you learn something new, like facts for an exam or how to ride a bike, encoding helps you turn these experiences into memories that you can access later. There are different ways our brain can encode information, such as by using visual images, sounds, or the meaning of the information.

Understanding encoding is important because it helps explain how we make memories and how we can improve our ability to learn and remember things.

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Raj Bonsor

Reviewer: Raj Bonsor

Expertise: Psychology & Sociology Content Creator

Raj joined Save My Exams in 2024 as a Senior Content Creator for Psychology & Sociology. Prior to this, she spent fifteen years in the classroom, teaching hundreds of GCSE and A Level students. She has experience as Subject Leader for Psychology and Sociology, and her favourite topics to teach are research methods (especially inferential statistics!) and attachment. She has also successfully taught a number of Level 3 subjects, including criminology, health & social care, and citizenship.

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