Short-Term Memory (STM): A Brief Overview
Short-term memory (STM) is a limited capacity memory system that studies suggest is used for a short duration of time to store and retrieve information. It is distinct from long-term memory in that it has a limited capacity and the information is often forgotten more quickly. STM is believed to play an important role in learning new information and is often used as a precursor to long-term memory.
The concept of short-term memory emerged in the 1950s when the first experiments on memory were conducted, and the concept has been studied extensively since then. One of the most influential theories of STM came from the work of Atkinson and Shiffrin in the 1960s, which proposed a three-stage mental process for memory formation. According to this model, information is first registered in a sensory register, where it is briefly held before being encoded in STM. This stage is followed by a third stage, where information is either forgotten or transferred to long-term memory.
Researchers have proposed various models to explain the underlying mechanisms of STM. One popular model is Baddeley’s working memory model, which proposes that STM is composed of four components: a phonological loop, a visuospatial sketchpad, an episodic buffer, and a central executive. Each of these components is thought to play a role in the storage and retrieval of information in STM.
The capacity of STM is limited and is thought to be around seven items or fewer. This limited capacity is often referred to as the “magical number seven”. Furthermore, the duration of STM is limited, with information being forgotten after a few seconds to a few minutes.
STM has been found to be vulnerable to interference, meaning that new information can disrupt the retrieval of previously stored information. This is known as proactive interference. In addition, new information can also interfere with the retrieval of previously stored information; this is known as retroactive interference.
In conclusion, STM is a limited capacity memory system that is used to store and retrieve information over a short period of time. It is believed to play an important role in learning and memory formation, and is composed of four components: a phonological loop, a visuospatial sketchpad, an episodic buffer, and a central executive. Furthermore, the capacity of STM is limited and is vulnerable to interference.
References
Atkinson, R. C., & Shiffrin, R. M. (1968). Human memory: A proposed system and its control processes. In K. W. Spence & J. T. Spence (Eds.), The psychology of learning and motivation: Advances in research and theory (Vol. 2, pp. 89-195). New York, NY: Academic Press.
Baddeley, A. D. (1992). Working memory. Science, 255(5044), 556-559.
Miller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review, 63(2), 81-97.