Question

What happens to the information in your short-term memory if you don't use it?

A) Information in short-term memory is automatically transferred to long-term memory.
B) Information in short-term memory is retained indefinitely.
C) Information in short-term memory is lost if not used or rehearsed.
D) Information in short-term memory is shared with others.

Answer 1

Information in short-term memory is lost if not rehearsed, similar to a computer document being closed without saving. The correct answer is C).

Step-by-step explanation:

The question pertains to what happens to the information in your short-term memory if it's not used. The correct answer is C) Information in short-term memory is lost if not used or rehearsed. Short-term memory (STM) typically holds information for 15 to 30 seconds and requires rehearsal to transfer information into long-term memory. Without rehearsal or usage, the information in STM fades away due to processes such as memory trace decay or proactive interference, where old information overshadows new learning.

Memory in STM can be likened to a document displayed on a computer screen that will be closed if not saved to the hard drive, which in this analogy represents long-term memory storage. Active rehearsal and elaborative rehearsal are essential practices for committing information to memory, allowing it to be stored more permanently in LTM.