UPPSC 2022
Applied Psychology
Easy
Short term memory lasts for about:
Appeared in: UPPSC 2022
Explanation
- Short-term memory (STM) is the second stage in the multi-store model of memory, holding information that is actively being processed.
- According to psychological models, information in STM lasts for up to about 30 seconds if it is not actively rehearsed or repeated.
- The option '20–30 sec.' accurately reflects this widely accepted time frame for the decay of unrehearsed information from short-term storage.
- This temporary storage allows the brain to process immediate information before it is either forgotten or transferred to long-term memory.
Why Other Options Were Wrong
- Option A: This duration (5-10 seconds) is too short for the typical capacity of short-term memory. It is closer to the duration of auditory sensory memory (echoic memory), which lasts for a few seconds.
- Option B: While some sources define immediate memory as lasting 15-20 seconds, the broader category of short-term memory is generally accepted to last longer, up to 30 seconds.
- Option D: A duration of 30-40 seconds exceeds the standard limit for short-term memory without active rehearsal. Information held this long has likely begun the process of consolidation into long-term memory.
Related Visual
Clinical Relevance
- Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Duration of Short-Term Memory as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
- Understanding memory duration is vital for nurses when assessing patients for cognitive impairments like delirium, dementia, or amnesia following a head injury.
- Nurses use this knowledge during patient education. To ensure a patient remembers instructions, information should be given in small, manageable chunks (respecting STM's limited capacity) and the nurse should use the 'teach-back' method to confirm understanding and facilitate transfer to long-term memory.
- What if a patient with a head injury can repeat a sentence immediately but cannot recall it three minutes later? This indicates intact immediate/short-term memory but a deficit in consolidation, the process of transferring information to long-term memory, which is a critical finding to document and report.
How to Approach the Question
- Identify the core concept being tested: The question asks for a specific fact about 'short-term memory'.
- Focus on the specific attribute requested: The question is about the 'duration' (how long it lasts).
- Recall the standard definition of short-term memory duration from psychology. Remember that this refers to memory without active rehearsal.
- Evaluate the given options against the recalled fact. The typical duration is cited as being up to 30 seconds.
- Select the option that best fits this established timeframe. '20–30 sec.' is the most accurate representation among the choices.
Concept Tested & Keywords
- Concept Tested: Duration of Short-Term Memory
- Stem keywords: Short term memory, lasts for
- Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE
- Negative lead-in flag: false
Question ID
QCRgwJHDdMTegL8z2zIiSQ
Reference Book
E6 Psychology Morgan King 9e Part 1 pp. 206-208, 210-212
E6 Robert Boland, Marcia L. Verduin - Kaplan and Sadock's Comprehensive Text of Psychiatry-Wolters Kluwer Health (2024) (pp 1-16525 of 16525) p. 3846-3848
Practise the full UPPSC 2022
Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.
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