| Short-term memory, sometimes referred to | | | | known to us, there is short term memory |
| as "primary," "working," or "active" | | | | that is distinct from long term memory |
| memory, is said to hold a small amount | | | | and also sensory memory. Short term |
| of information for about 20 seconds. | | | | memory is that type of memory that |
| Estimates of short-term memory capacity | | | | allows us to recall things from just a |
| vary - from about 3 or 4 elements (i.e., | | | | few seconds ago, or even from as long as |
| words, digits, or letters) to about 9 | | | | a minute back, and it is also normal for |
| elements: a commonly cited capacity is | | | | short term memory to allow storage of |
| 7-2 elements. In contrast, long-term | | | | just four or five objects, though this |
| memory indefinitely stores a seemingly | | | | number may go up depending on what is |
| unlimited amount of information. | | | | known as chunking. Thus, with chunking, |
| Short-term memory can be described as | | | | when you see a group of letters ordered |
| the capacity (or capacities) for holding | | | | in rows rather in scrambled form, it |
| in mind, in an active, highly available | | | | allows us to remember those groups of |
| state, a small amount of information. | | | | letters a lot longer than in the case of |
| The information held in short-term | | | | merely scrambled letters. |
| memory may be: | | | | When estimating the duration of time |
| - recently processed sensory input; | | | | that short term memory can hold |
| - items recently retrieved from | | | | information, it is necessary to |
| long-term memory; or | | | | understand that there could only are |
| - the result of recent mental | | | | three to four elements such as words, |
| processing, although that is more | | | | letters or digits that can be stored, |
| generally related to the concept of | | | | though it could even increase to as many |
| working memory. | | | | as nine elements, which is in stark |
| The relationship between short-term | | | | contrast to long term memory in which |
| memory and working memory is differently | | | | information is stored and recalled over |
| described by various theorists, but it | | | | years, and the amount of information |
| is generally acknowledged that the two | | | | recalled can also be almost unlimited. |
| concepts are distinct. Working memory is | | | | In other words, it would not be wrong to |
| a theoretical framework that refers to | | | | describe short term memory as being the |
| structures and processes used for | | | | capacity for retaining in the mind which |
| temporarily storing and manipulating | | | | is in an active state a tiny amount of |
| information. As such, working memory | | | | data or information that include things |
| might also be referred to as working | | | | such as recently processed sensory |
| attention. Short-term memory generally | | | | contribution, information or items that |
| refers in a theory-neutral manner to the | | | | were recently retrieved from long term |
| short term storage of information. Thus | | | | memory and finally, they could be |
| while there are short-term memory | | | | results of some mental processing that |
| components to working memory models, the | | | | just took place, though this form of |
| concept of short-term memory is distinct | | | | information may better by processed by |
| from these more hypothetical concepts. | | | | working memory. |
| When trying to understand more about | | | | Furthermore, it has been found that all |
| memory, it pays to first consider what | | | | memories actually pass from short term |
| the nature of memory is and also its | | | | memory to long term memory after the |
| various functions, as too the ways and | | | | passage of a certain amount of time, |
| means in which it can be used in our | | | | though there is as yet no definite |
| daily lives. Memory is a process by | | | | knowledge available as to how the |
| which a human being or other living | | | | mechanism that transfers information |
| organism can store and retain as well as | | | | from short term memory to long term |
| subsequently retrieve or recollect | | | | memory actually functions. Thus, it is |
| pieces of information, and, in addition, | | | | safe to say that any tiny piece of |
| it also pays to understand the working | | | | information that remains in your mind |
| of memory and learn its various | | | | immediately after you first encountered |
| classifications that themselves are | | | | such information, is stored in short |
| based on type of information, duration | | | | term memory, and all others are either |
| and also the methods by which they are | | | | stored in working memory, or in long |
| retrieved. | | | | term memory, or even in sensory memory. |
| Among the different forms of memory | | | | |