Final answer:
Echoic memory is a type of sensory memory that temporarily stores sounds, a function separate from long-term memory which includes explicit and implicit forms of memory. It operates briefly to process auditory information before it may be transferred to short-term and potentially long-term storage.
Step-by-step explanation:
Echoic memory is a form of sensory memory related to auditory information - it is how the brain temporarily stores sounds shortly after they are heard. It is not a component of long-term memory, not a type of visual memory, and it is not involved with motor skills. Instead, echoic memory provides a very brief retention of auditory information to allow the brain time to process sounds. This is separate from the types of long-term memory described, such as explicit and implicit memory.
Explicit memory, also known as declarative memory, includes episodic and semantic memory, which store personal experiences and factual knowledge respectively. Implicit memory includes procedural memory, which is related to the performance of particular types of action. Unlike these different types of long-term memories, echoic memory is far more fleeting and acts as the initial stage of auditory processing.
The Atkinson-Shiffrin model shows how stimuli first enter our sensory memory. If we find this information valuable, it can then move to our short-term memory and potentially even to long-term memory through processes like rehearsing.