Working memory is a component of short-term memory that involves actively processing and manipulating information. Long-term memory is the continuous storage of information for a longer duration. Short-term memory retention can be affected by memory trace decay and proactive interference.
Working memory, akin to a computer's active workspace, manages and manipulates information within short term memory.
Baddeley and Hitch's model outlines distinct systems like the visuospatial sketchpad, episodic buffer, and phonological loop, each dedicated to storing specific information types.
Overseeing these systems is the central executive, responsible for coordinating and transferring data to long term memory.
Long term memory acts as a reservoir for enduring information storage. It comprises explicit and implicit memory.
Explicit memory, involving episodic and semantic memory, pertains to consciously recalled information.
Conversely, implicit memory includes procedural memory and learned associations through conditioning.
Long term memory exhibits vast storage capacity and can retain information for extended periods.
Short term memory retention faces challenges from factors like memory trace decay and proactive interference.
Memory trace decay describes the gradual fading of memories over time. Proactive interference occurs when prior knowledge disrupts the acquisition of new information.
Once data enters long term memory, it undergoes consolidation synaptic alterations and integration into the memory system.
This distinction between short term and long term memory underscores the critical roles they play.
Short term memory, with its limited capacity, manages active information, while long term memory serves as a vast archive for prolonged storage. Understanding their dynamics how information is processed, stored temporarily, and then transferred for enduring retention enhances comprehension of human memory's intricacies and functionalities.