Short Term Memory Flashcards, test questions and answers

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What is Short Term Memory?

Short-term memory is a type of memory that allows us to store and recall information for a short amount of time. It is considered to be one of the most important types of memory, as it is essential for many cognitive processes such as learning, reasoning, problem solving and decision making. Short-term memory has been studied extensively in psychology and neuroscience, with research suggesting that it involves several distinct components including working memory, encoding mechanisms and retrieval strategies.Working Memory: Working Memory is an active form of short-term memory that allows us to temporarily store information which we need for immediate use. This can include visual or auditory information such as words, numbers or images. It can also include memories from our recent past such as conversations or events. Working Memory has a limited capacity, meaning that it can only hold a certain amount of information at any one time before it needs to be discarded or replaced with new incoming data.Encoding Mechanisms: Encoding mechanisms are responsible for converting incoming sensory stimuli into forms that are more easily stored in our short-term memories this process can involve both physical (sensory) and psychological (cognitive) processes. For example, when we hear a new word we may need to break down its phonemes in order to remember it better later on this process involves using both our auditory system (physical) and our ability to relate the sound with its meaning (cognitive).Retrieval Strategies: Retrieval strategies are techniques used to recover information from our short-term memories when needed. These techniques involve both conscious effort (e.g., using mnemonics) as well as automatic processes (e.g., priming). Common strategies include organization (grouping related items together), rehearsal (repeating the target material multiple times), elaboration (providing additional details about the target material) and visualization/imagery (creating mental images associated with the target material). Overall, understanding how short-term memory works can help us improve our own skills in remembering facts or experiences more effectively whether we want to learn something new or retrieve something from our recent past.