Sensory memory is temporary and lasts only a few seconds. To convert it into long-term memory, attention must be paid to the sensory input. Different types of sensory memory exist, and traumatic events or focused attention can help memories stick. The brain can store about seven units of information in sensory memory before discarding or storing it. Breaking up information can make it easier to remember.
Sensory memory is the temporary storage of reference sensory information, lasting seconds. If a person wants to convert a sensory memory into a permanently stored memory, he or she will have to pay attention to the sensory input so that the brain knows how to store it in a more permanent location. Numerous studies have explored sensory memory and how it works. It plays an important role in the cognition, perception and execution of tasks.
Under normal conditions, an experience such as a sight, sound or touch will be held in the brain for a few seconds and then discarded. This can create strange sensory phenomena, such as the feeling that a train’s whistle is still sounding after it has stopped, or the appearance of a visual blur when a bright object is dragged across a dark background. Some displays rely on this aspect of sensory memory and cause the brain to fill in part of an image from its temporary memory as it flashes the next segment.
Haptic, iconic, and echoic memory are all different types of sensory memory, covering touch, sight, and sound, respectively. For a memory to stick for more than a few seconds, it has to stand out. Traumatic images, for example, often enter long-term memory because the person is shocked or distraught at the sight of a car accident or other traumatic event. Similarly, a waitress may be able to remember an order without having to write it down when she focuses on the customer as she speaks.
The fleeting nature of sensory memory also explains why people sometimes have poor memories for something they just saw, heard, or touched. If a student is distracted while looking up something, for example, he will read relevant information, go back to what he was doing and realize that he cannot remember what he just read. Similarly, when a family member yells a phone number at someone who’s running out the door, that person may not remember the number when she goes to call him several hours later.
The brain can store about seven units of information in its sensory memory before having to make room for more by discarding or storing the information. It can be important to be aware of this during study sessions, as breaking up information can make it easier to remember. Numbers provided in sets, for example, are easier to remember than a long string. Many people remember a phone number like 555-1212 but don’t remember the string 5551212.
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