Final answer:
Short-term Memory (STM) is the memory type that stores information temporarily before it either moves to long-term memory or is forgotten, functioning for approximately 20 seconds. The correct answer is option D
Step-by-step explanation:
The type of memory that stores information for approximately 20 seconds while the mind determines whether the information needs to be retained is Short-term Memory (STM). Short-term memory acts like the computer screen that displays information before it's either saved to the hard drive (long-term memory) or discarded.
Short-term memory is a crucial phase in the Atkinson-Shiffrin model of memory, involving the stages of Sensory Memory, Short-Term Memory, and finally Long-Term Memory. It's in this phase that memory trace decay and interference can affect whether information is retained or forgotten. The correct answer is option D.