Understanding Psychology (10th Ed)

sensory memory
The initial, momen-
tary storage of information, lasting 
only an instant.
short-term memory
Memory that 
holds information for 15 to 25 seconds.
long-term memory
Memory that 
stores information on a relatively 
permanent basis, although it may be 
diffi cult to retrieve.
Sensory memories 
Sight (iconic) 
Sound (echoic) 
Other sensory memories 
Short-term memory 
Long-term memory 
Repetitive 
rehearsal (retains 
information in 
short-term memory) 
Elaborative rehearsal 
(moves information 
into long-term memory) 
Forgetting 
typically within 
1 second 
Forgetting 
within 15 to
25 seconds 
Information
FIGURE 2 
In this three-stage model of memory, information initially recorded by the person’s 
sensory system enters sensory memory, which momentarily holds the information. The infor-
mation then moves to short-term memory, which stores it for 15 to 25 seconds. Finally, the 
information can move into long-term memory, which is relatively permanent. Whether the 
information moves from short-term to long-term memory depends on the kind and amount of 
rehearsal of the material that is carried out. 
(Source: Atkinson & Shifrin, 1968.)
Study Alert
Although the three types 
of memory are discussed 
as separate memory 
stores, these are not 
mini-warehouses located in 
specifi c areas of the brain. Instead, 
they represent three diff erent types 
of memory systems with diff erent 
characteristics.
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