Short-term memory (STM) is an active information relay system that processes and temporarily holds information before it moves to long-term memory, with a typical capacity of 7±2 items. Key components of STM include the central executive, visuo-spatial sketch pad, and phonological loop, each responsible for different aspects of processing. Characteristics of STM include susceptibility to interruption, rapid decay of information, and phenomena like the recency effect and interference.

1. Short Term Memory
Dr Rajesh Verma
Assistant Professor in Psychology
Govt. College Adampur, Hisar (Haryana)

2. Stage Model of Memory
Atkinson’s and Shiffrin’s (1968) multi-store
model.

3. Introduction
Short term memory is a kind of information relay
system found between sensory memory and long term
memory. The information that had entered sensory
memory now by virtue of attention travels to next
memory system, called STM. STM is a memory system
in which information is
held for brief periods of
time while being used
(Ciccarelli & Meyer,
2016). STM is a active
system which not only
store information also
processes it for use.

4. The capacity of STM is 7±2 items. This was stated
by George Miller in 1956. He used digit span test to
arrive at this number and called it Magic Number.
However, chunking is used for recording, storing and
reorganizing more information in STM. According to
Baddeley and Hitch (1974) Model, STM contains three
interrelated systems i.e.
(i) Central
Executive
(ii) Visuo-spatial
Sketch Pad
(iii) Phonological
Loop

5. (i) Central Executive – Regulate, control and
coordinate the all systems of STM such as
allocation of information to respective systems.
It can be called as cognitive controller. Helps in
mental arithmetic and problem solving.
(ii) Visuo-spatial Sketch Pad – Also known as
inner eye that stores
and process visual
information.

6. (iii) Phonological Loop – Also known as inner
ear that helps in storing and processing audio
information. It plays the dialogue in person’s
head. It further contains two subsystems i.e.
Articulatory control (Speech production) and
phonological store (Speech perception).

8. Characteristics
1. Short term memory is also known as working
memory
2. The short term memory or short term storage
system is the basic component of our cognition. The
information that has passed through the sensory store
reaches short term
memory. In this system
the information tends
to disappear completely
in a short duration i.e.
within 12 to 30
seconds.

9. 3. STM only holds the information does not
manipulate it.
4. Short term functions are susceptible for
interruptions while long term functions seems to remain
intact (Solso, 2006).
5. A phenomenon
of Interference
(information more
than 5 to 9 items is
thrown out to make
room for new
information) is
found in STM.

10. 6. Primacy & Recency phenomenon, commonly
known as Recency effect is found in STM.
7. Temporal decay and
chunk capacity limit is found
in STM.
8. Forgetting occurs in
STM due to limited capacity,
duration, displacement and
trace decay.
9. Fading of information
is faster in STM which leads
to forgetting.

11. References:
1. NCERT, XI Psychology Text book.
2. McLeod, S. A. (2009, Dec 14). Short-term
memory. Simply psychology: https://www.
simplypsychology.org/short-term-memory.html.

12. vermasujit@yahoo.com
Next Discussion
Long Term Memory