Short-term memory

High school (ages 12+)
Human Body

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/short-term-memory

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the cognitive function?Temporary storage and active processing of information
2. What is the estimated capacity?Approximately 4 ± 1 chunks of information
3. How many things can short-term memory hold?Scientists say it can hold about 4 to 7 small groups of information at once, but most people remember about 4.
4. Why does short-term memory forget so quickly?The brain's memory cells stop firing after a few seconds, and new information can push old stuff out, so we need to repeat or write things down.

Chunking: A strategy to increase STM capacity by grouping discrete items into larger, meaningful units.
Rehearsal: The process of actively repeating information to maintain it in short-term memory.
Interference: The disruption of memory by the presence of other information, leading to forgetting.