The working memory model provides a more detailed look at the components of STM:

Sensory Registers

Sensory registers hold information very briefly. There are separate stores for visual (iconic) and auditory (echoic) information.

• Iconic memory (sensory register for vision) has a span of approximately 8-9 letters.

Verbal STM

Verbal information is encoded as a series of sounds. Even when visual information is presented, it may be rehearsed verbally.

• Word length effect: the longer it takes to say items, the fewer items can be remembered, suggesting that verbal STM is time-limited.

Visuospatial STM

Visuospatial STM processes visual and spatial information. Mental rotation tasks show that response times increase with the amount of rotation needed, indicating that visuospatial operations work in an analogue way.

Control Processes

These processes control and coordinate the contents of short-term memory, the flow of information between components, and control of attention.

In summary, short-term memory is a complex system with different components and processes that work together to allow us to temporarily hold and manipulate information. Understanding the different models and mechanisms involved in STM is essential for understanding how we process information and learn.