Echoic memory is best described as the memory for which type of sensory information?

• A. Visual information
• B. Touch information
• C. Auditory information
• D. Smell information

Answer: (C)

This question tests how sensory memory works, specifically the part that handles sounds. Echoic memory is the brief auditory sensory memory that holds a sound in your mind for a short moment after it’s heard. This fleeting store lets you process or repeat what you just heard, even if your attention shifts right away. Its duration is a few seconds, which is longer than the brief visual snapshot of iconic memory. So it best describes memory for auditory information. For example, you can still catch the tail end of a spoken phone number and plan to repeat it, thanks to echoic memory.