Which of the following distinguishes sensory memory (SM) from short-term memory (STM)?
A) STM holds only a small amount of separate pieces of information.
B) STM holds a large amount of separate pieces of information.
C) SM holds a large amount of separate pieces of information.
D) STM holds a small amount of uniform information.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Sensory memory (SM) is characterized by its ability to hold a large amount of sensory information in its original sensory form for a brief period of time (typically 1-2 seconds). Short-term memory (STM) on the other hand has a limited capacity and can only hold a small amount of separate pieces of information, such as phone numbers or short lists of items. Therefore, option C is the correct choice as it distinguishes SM from STM by highlighting SM's ability to hold a large amount of separate pieces of information in its original sensory form for a brief period of time.

Which of the Following Distinguishes Sensory Memory (SM) from Short-Term