Corto plazo memory (STM) is a crucial component of human cognition, allowing individuals to temporarily store and manage information necessary for various tasks. Typically, short-term memory can hold about 7 (plus or minus 2) items at a time, a concept known as Miller’s Ley, which was proposed by psychologist George A. Miller in 1956.
Information in short-term memory is retained for a brief duration, usually ranging from 15 to 30 seconds, unless actively rehearsed or encoded into memoria a largo plazo. This type of memory is essential for daily activities, such as remembering phone numbers long enough to dial them or recalling a grocery list while shopping.
El proceso de la memoria a corto plazo implica varias etapas. Inicialmente, la información sensorial se percibe a través de los sentidos y se retiene brevemente en la memoria sensorial. Si la atención se enfoca en ciertos estímulos, esta información se transfiere a la memoria a corto plazo. La repetición, que puede ser de mantenimiento (repetir la información) o elaborativa (enlazar la nueva información con conocimientos existentes), ayuda a retener la información por más tiempo o a trasladarla a la memoria a largo plazo.
La memoria a corto plazo es distinta de memoria de trabajo, although the two terms are often used interchangeably. Working memory involves not just the temporary storage of information but also the manipulation and processing of that information for cognitive tasks. It plays a critical role in reasoning, comprehension, and learning.
Understanding short-term memory is vital in various fields, including education, psychology, and neuroscience, as it impacts how people learn and retain new information.