Modal Model of Memory

Short-term Memory

Limited-capacity store that holds information for seconds before it’s lost (unless rehearsed or encoded into long-term memory).

  • Capacity ~7 ± 2 items (George Miller)
  • Stretchable via Chunking
  • Encodes by sound or surface properties; long-term memory leans on meaning

Often contrasted with Working Memory: same duration, but working memory is an active workspace, not just a holding tank.