Memory Mechanics of the Mind

• How does the mind work? Is it entirely, simply a process of accessing memories?
• By my understanding, there’s 3 categories of mind processes: instinctive action, subconscious reaction, and conscious decision. Perhaps the best way to understand the method and mechanics of the mind, is to distinguish the function of each of these, relative to memory, starting with the more simple version. 
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• A very basic form of a mind could be an insect's actions based mostly on instinct. An insect which lives in a very isolated and simple environment, would have very few functions of action. It would perhaps eat and reproduce. It would do these things instinctively, as their nervous system is preprogrammed with these functions from birth. Since instinctive actions are existent from birth, they are not gained memory. So it seems the 1st and simplest category of mind mechanics does not utilise memory access.
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• The 2nd category, being subconscious reaction, would be the method of mind function for most -if not all- animals on this planet. All animals would also have the basic instinct, preprogrammed actions, but subconscious reaction is used for varying circumstances of animals lives, to adapt to their surroundings and have more effective and accurate reactions to occurrences in their lives. This would be based on memory of the animals’ varying life circumstances. Their mind records memories, using whatever their unique use of senses may be. The memories are of varying life circumstances, which cause either positive or negative feedback (as more advanced brains likely developed for effectivity), relative to the severity of the feedback. The more severe of negative or positive feedback of a circumstance, the more profound and distinctly the memory is stored, to cause the animal to either avoid or pursue the circumstance in the future. 
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• As the subconscious mind functions seem to be based entirely on memory access, perhaps the 3rd and most complicated category of mind mechanic is only a more advanced and in depth process. Consciousness and decision making seem to be commonly regarded as mysterious and unexplainable, but is it really much more than accessing memories? 
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• This 3rd category is unique to the unparalleled (as far as we know) and profoundly dominant and overruling species on this planet, humans. Our dominance is likely a very good example of the efficiency and effectivity of this method of mind mechanic. Humans do use instinctive action and subconscious reaction throughout our lives, but those times of advanced mental processing are what set us apart. Rather than the mind reacting strictly based on memory of past negative or positive feedback of general circumstances, conscious decision making seems to allow us to actively sort through memories and extract notable specific details of cause of positive or negative outcome. 
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• If subconscious reaction was used in any given scenario, the mind would simply refer to (theoretically) the most profound memory in resemblance to the current scenario, with the most severe feedback. It would then assume that memory is most relevant, and cause a reaction based on that 1 memory and the degree of feedback -whether negative or positive. Considering conscious decision making in the same scenario, somebody would likely access a memory of a circumstance resembling the current one, then determine the causes of negative or positive feedback. To determine the cause and relevancy of the feedback, they would access memories of the method of function of the occurrence which caused the feedback. By accessing memories of the method of function of the circumstance, the mind is able to distinguish accurately which aspect of the occurrence caused which specific effects. This accurate memory access allows the mind to distinguish much more specific and detailed causes of positive or negative feedback, rather than the generalised memory of feedback which the subconscious mind method uses.
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• If throughout the past, the mind developed to access more and more detail of memories, this could be the method by which humans developed “consciousness”. In perhaps most animals lives, accessing detail of memory wouldn’t necessarily be beneficial for survival, as it likely slows down the thought process. Perhaps speed outperforms accuracy for the majority of species of animals typical life circumstances. But maybe the lifestyle of apes caused accuracy to outperform speed of thought, allowing accuracy of detailed memory access to advance. 
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• At a glance it seems like all advanced mind mechanics (beyond instinct) function by method of memory access. 
• Is it so simple, or might there be more to the complexity of consciousness?