Kurzzeitgedächtnisses

Kurzzeitgedächtnis, often translated as short-term memory, refers to the capacity for holding a small amount of information in an active, readily available state for a brief period. It is a temporary storage system that allows us to process and manipulate information for immediate use. This type of memory is crucial for tasks such as remembering a phone number someone just told you, following a set of instructions, or holding a sentence in mind while reading.

The capacity of short-term memory is generally considered to be limited. George Miller's famous paper suggested a capacity of "seven plus or minus two" chunks of information. A "chunk" can be a single digit, a letter, a word, or even a familiar phrase, depending on how the information is organized. The duration of information held in short-term memory is also limited, typically lasting only about 15 to 30 seconds without active rehearsal or reinforcement.

When information is attended to and rehearsed, it can be transferred from short-term memory into long-term memory, which has a much larger capacity and duration. Conversely, if information is not actively maintained, it decays and is lost. Factors such as attention, interference from other stimuli, and cognitive load can all influence the efficiency and capacity of short-term memory. It is a fundamental component of cognitive function, underpinning many of our daily activities and learning processes.