Which memory serves as a temporary store from which some items may move to long-term memory?

• A. Short-term memory
• B. Sensory memory
• C. Working memory
• D. Long-term memory

Answer: (A)

Short-term memory acts as the temporary holding area for information that has been processed and is being prepared for encoding into durable storage. Items kept here can be rehearsed and then transferred into long-term memory, which is designed for lasting storage. Short-term memory is limited in capacity and brief in duration, typically lasting only seconds to a minute. Sensory memory is the initial, momentary register for incoming information and isn’t the stage where items are moved into lasting storage. Long-term memory stores information after encoding and is not the temporary staging area. Working memory involves active processing and manipulation of information within this short-term store, rather than serving as the simple temporary repository. So the best answer is short-term memory.