Which term describes the system that holds and manipulates information in the short term during cognitive tasks?

Which term describes the system that holds and manipulates information in the short term during cognitive tasks?

• A. Long-term memory.
• B. Executive functions.
• C. Working memory.
• D. Sensory register.

Answer: (C)

Working memory is the mental workspace where information is briefly stored and actively processed during tasks. It lets you hold a phone number in your mind while you dial, or keep the steps of a problem in front of you while you work them out. In many models it includes components for verbal information, visual-spatial information, and a central executive that directs attention and coordinates processing. This is distinct from long-term memory, which stores information for longer periods, and from the sensory register, which holds incoming sensory information for only a moment. Executive functions are the control processes that guide how we use working memory, but the system that holds and manipulates information in the short term is working memory.

Working memory is the mental workspace where information is briefly stored and actively processed during tasks. It lets you hold a phone number in your mind while you dial, or keep the steps of a problem in front of you while you work them out. In many models it includes components for verbal information, visual-spatial information, and a central executive that directs attention and coordinates processing. This is distinct from long-term memory, which stores information for longer periods, and from the sensory register, which holds incoming sensory information for only a moment. Executive functions are the control processes that guide how we use working memory, but the system that holds and manipulates information in the short term is working memory.