Most people can remember a phone number for up to thirty seconds. When this short amount of time passes, however, the numbers are erased from the memory. How did the information get there in the first place
Information that makes its way to the short term memory (STM) does so via the sensory(感觉中枢的)storage area. The brain has a filter which only allows stimulation that is of immediate interest to pass on to the STM, also known as the working memory.
There is much debate about the capacity and duration of the short term memory. The most accepted theory comes from George A. Miller, a cognitive psychologist who suggested that humans can remember approximately seven chunks of information. A chunk(大块) is defined as a meaningful unit of information, such as a word or name rather than just a letter or number. Modem theorists suggest that one can increase the capacity of the short term memory by chunking, or classifying similar information together. By organizing information, one can improve the STM, and improve the chances of a memory being passed on to long term storage.
When a conscious effort to memorize something, such as information for an exam, many people engage in "rote(死记硬背) rehearsal". By repeating something over and over again, we are able to keep a memory alive. Unfortunately, this type of memory maintenance only succeeds ff there are no interruptions. As soon as a person stops rehearsing the information, it has the tendency to disappear. When a pen and paper are not handy, you might attempt to remember a phone number by repeating it aloud. If the doorbell rings or the dog barks to come in before you get the opportunity to make your phone call, you will forget the number instantly. Therefore, rote rehearsal is not an efficient way to pass information from the short term to long term memory. A better way is to practice "elaborate rehearsal". This involves assigning semantic meaning to a piece of information so that it can be filed along with other pre-existing long term memories.
How do theorists believe a person can remember more information in a short time