Duration of Short Term Memory.

Question

Accepted Answer

The correct option is (2):

Short-term memory (STM), also sometimes referred to as primary memory or active memory, is a temporary storage system that holds a limited amount of information for a brief period. Research in cognitive psychology, notably from figures like George Miller, has established that the typical duration of short-term memory, without rehearsal or active maintenance, is generally in the range of a few seconds up to about 30 seconds. This duration allows us to actively process and use information in the immediate present, such as remembering a phone number just long enough to dial it or understanding the current sentence as you read it. After this short period, if the information is not further processed or transferred to long-term memory, it is typically forgotten. The prefrontal cortex plays a key role in temporarily storing these memories.

The incorrect option is (1):
"Less than one second" is incorrect because this duration is more characteristic of sensory memory, which is an even briefer initial stage of memory that holds sensory information for a fraction of a second before it is either forgotten or moved into short-term memory for further processing.

The incorrect option is (3):
"Less than 60 second" is generally incorrect because while short-term memory can sometimes extend to this duration with active rehearsal, its typical and more common duration is significantly shorter, usually under 30 seconds. Without constant attention, information held for nearly a minute would likely involve some level of conscious effort to maintain.

The incorrect option is (4):
"Upto a life time" is incorrect because this describes the duration of long-term memory, not short-term memory. Long-term memory has a virtually unlimited capacity and can hold information for extended periods, from days to years, or even a lifetime, after it has been encoded and stored.