Learning Target:

Describe and differentiate the psychological and physiological systems of short- and long-term memory.

AP psychology course and exam description, effective fall 2020. (n.d.). https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/media/pdf/ap-psychology-course-and-exam-description.pdf

Types of Memory

The three-stage model of memory is based on the idea that information is transferred from one memory stage to another. Sensory memory is the split-second holding area for that environmental information. Sensory memory is like taking snapshot pictures of our surroundings. It stores detailed records of sensory experiences for a few seconds. The images are held briefly only to be replaced by new ones. Only a select few images will be considered important enough to send on to the next stage.

Sensory

Image showing the various parts of the brain with the quote: "Only a select few images will be considered important enough to send on to the next stage."

George Sperling first identified sensory memory. Sperling flashed letters 1/20th of a second to see what could be remembered by the average person. He found that out of twelve letters four or five were typically remembered. Researchers believe we have separate sensory memory for each sense: vision, hearing, touch, and smell.

Short Term

Short-term memory is where information is processed or is the active "working" memory. It temporarily holds all the information you are currently thinking about or consciously aware of. Information is stored in short-term memory for up to about 20 seconds then it is either released or sent onto long-term memory.

We can hold approximately seven items (plus or minus two) in short-term memory. Imagining, problem-solving, and remembering all take place in short-term memory.

Long Term

Long-term memory is the third and final stage of memory. It represents what most people think of as memory and includes all information retained for longer than 20 seconds. Items stored in long-term memory have the potential to be stored there forever and it has the potential to hold limitless amounts of information. Information flows two ways: from STM into LTM; and then from LTM back to STM when the information is retrieved. In long-term memory information is processed at a "deeper" level, thus allowing it to be retained longer.

Types of Long-Term Memory

Implicit Memories (Non-Declarative)

Procedural Memory - Tells us how to perform skills, operations, and actions. It begins early (think learning to walk), we can't recall how we learned it, and it is difficult to put into words.

Explicit Memories (Declarative)

Episodic Memory - Memories about specific events and the time and place they occur. Examples include your first day of college or your wedding. Episodic memories are your autobiographical story.
Semantic Memory - General knowledge of facts, names, definitions, concepts, and ideas. We cannot recall when we learned the information.

Please take a few minutes to view the presentation on how the various models of memory work together.

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