Question

How is information processed through sensory, short-term and long-term memory systems?

Answer 1

The information is processed through sensory, short-term, and long-term memory systems in the following ways:

(i) Sensory Memory − The incoming information enters through sensory memory which has a large capacity but is of a very short duration of less than a second. It registers information from each of the senses with reasonable accuracy.

(ii) Short-term Memory − It refers to the system that holds a small amount of information for a brief period of time. According to Atkinson and Shiffrin, the information is primarily encoded acoustically and unless it is rehearsed continuously, the information gets lost within 30 seconds.

(iii) Long-term Memory − The information that survives in short term memory enters the long-term memory system. Once information enters here, it is never forgotten as it gets encoded semantically. Thus, it is a permanent storehouse of all the information.