What level of consciousness involves memories that are not immediately accessible but can be retrieved?

The level of consciousness that involves memories that are not immediately accessible but can be retrieved is the preconscious. This concept is part of Sigmund Freud's model of the mind, where the preconscious serves as a repository for thoughts and memories that are not currently in the conscious mind but can be brought to awareness with appropriate cues or prompts. For instance, recalling a friend’s phone number or a past event requires accessing memories from the preconscious level.

In contrast, the unconscious refers to thoughts and memories that are not easily accessible and may influence behavior without being aware of them. The conscious mind represents thoughts that are actively in awareness at any given moment. The term subconscious is often used interchangeably with unconscious in popular discourse, though it is not typically defined in Freudian theory. The emphasis on the ability to retrieve specific memories distinctly identifies the preconscious as the correct level in this context.