Working memory is the “bridge” between the information collected using our senses and stored in sensory memory, and long-term memory where information can be later retrieved. Working memory is commonly associated with consciousness, and is where we can work on multiple activities simultaneously. While not part of long term memory, by applying a computer model to working memory we would arrive at a parallel processing model because of this “multi-tasking” nature.
Working memory is the portion of memory which sensory data enters from the various sensory memory areas. For example, when information is seen visually, it is stored in the visual sensory memory area, and then brought into working memory for processing before it is determined if the information should be encoded into long-term memory.
Working memory is that part of the brain’s memory system where information is stored for a relatively short period of time, between 15 and 30 seconds, and where the brain can process pieces of information in more than one way or accomplish several tasks at once. This is why we can be listening to music, reading and still hear our spouse call our name.
The current research theories suggest that working memory has approximately seven information “slots” that can each accommodate some discrete piece of information, with each piece being of the same or different types of data. However, with this low number of available positions or slots, working memory cannot handle much information. Consequently, the theory of chunking was…
