Short-term memory, or working memory, is essential for tasks like learning and reasoning. It holds information temporarily, with a limited capacity often described by the 'magic number seven, plus or minus two.' Encoding in short-term memory is mainly acoustic, but visual and semantic encoding also play roles. Techniques like chunking and mnemonics can improve memory efficiency, and understanding its different components—phonological, visuospatial, and the central executive—is vital for cognitive function.
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Short-term memory serves as a temporary storage system for small amounts of information required for complex cognitive tasks
Expansion through Chunking
The capacity of short-term memory can be expanded through the process of chunking, where individual pieces of information are grouped into larger, more meaningful units
Encoding in Short-Term Memory
Short-term memory primarily involves acoustic and visual encoding, with a significant emphasis on phonological processing
Without rehearsal or active maintenance, information in short-term memory decays rapidly, often within 20 to 30 seconds
Phonological short-term memory involves the temporary storage of verbal and auditory information, such as remembering a phone number
Visuospatial short-term memory is responsible for the brief retention of visual and spatial information, like recalling the layout of a room
The central executive component of working memory coordinates the subsystems of phonological and visuospatial memory and is involved in the manipulation and use of information in cognitive tasks
Chunking
Chunking reduces the cognitive load by grouping information into larger, coherent units that are easier to remember
Mnemonics
Mnemonics involve the use of vivid imagery, acronyms, rhymes, or other associative strategies to facilitate recall
Memory techniques leverage the brain's propensity for encoding and retrieving visually rich and conceptually linked information
Understanding the distinct types of short-term memory is crucial for educational strategies and everyday cognitive functions that rely on the immediate recall and application of information
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Definition of short-term memory
Cognitive system holding information temporarily for complex tasks.
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Duration of short-term memory retention
Holds information for seconds up to a minute.
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Capacity of short-term memory
Limited to 7±2 items but expandable by chunking.
