Final answer:
Short-term memory (STM) holds information for approximately 30 seconds to one minute. It serves as a temporary storage for information that is being processed, which could then be transferred to long-term memory or discarded. The capacity of STM has been estimated to be about 7 plus or minus 2 items according to George Miller, though more recent research suggests it may be closer to 4 plus or minus 1 items.
Step-by-step explanation:
Short-term memory (STM) holds information for approximately 30 seconds, and possibly up to one minute. This component of our memory system is comparable to a computer's RAM, where the information you are currently aware of or thinking about is temporarily stored. The items held in STM can then be transferred to long-term memory for more permanent storage, or they can be discarded, much like saving or deleting a document on a computer.
For example, when trying to memorize a phone number until you have a chance to write it down, you are using your STM. George Miller's theory suggests that the average person can hold about 7 plus or minus 2 items in short-term memory, though more modern research by Cowan indicates that the capacity may be closer to 4 plus or minus 1.
Furthermore, factors such as memory trace decay and proactive interference can affect how long information remains accessible in STM. Without rehearsal or further processing, much of this information may be lost over time, as demonstrated by the Ebbinghaus forgetting curve, which illustrates the rapid decline of memory retention after initial learning.