Primary memory, also known as random access memory (RAM), is the computer's temporary storage area where active programs and data are kept. It allows information to be accessed in any order and modified as needed. The memory process involves perception, encoding, storage, and retrieval. If encoding or retrieval is disrupted, information may not be properly stored or recalled. Memory retrieval can be unreliable as it is susceptible to factors like stress, age, misinformation, and biases that can distort one's recollections over time.