Final answer:
Echoic memory pertains to auditory sensory memory, storing sounds briefly, while iconic memory deals with visual sensory memory, temporarily holding images. Both play a pivotal role in processing sensory information and transferring significant stimuli into more permanent forms of memory.
Step-by-step explanation:
Echoic memory refers to auditory sensory memory, whereas iconic memory refers to visual sensory memory. Echoic memory is the component of sensory memory that is specific to retaining auditory information, while iconic memory holds visual information. This allows the brain time to process and potentially transfer these auditory events to short-term and eventually long-term memory.
On the other hand, visual stimuli are captured by iconic memory, which stores images for a very brief period, generally under a second, before they fade or are passed along to short-term memory. Both types of sensory memory are critical because they provide a buffer for stimuli through a process that is quick and almost automatic, ensuring that not all sensory information is immediately lost. These memories, if deemed important, may then be encoded into short-term memory and potentially into long-term memory with further processing and rehearsal.