What broad system includes sensory, short-term, and long-term forms, and stores information over time?

• A. Memory
• B. Sensation
• C. Perception
• D. Attention

Answer: (A)

Memory is the system that encompasses sensory memory, working (short-term) memory, and long-term memory, and it’s how information is encoded, stored, and retrieved over time. Sensory memory holds brief sensory impressions after a stimulus, for a fraction of a second to a few seconds. Working memory actively maintains and manipulates information for short tasks, typically lasting seconds. Long-term memory stores information for extended periods—days to years—covering facts, experiences, and skills. Put together, these components form a system that retains information across time.

Sensation, perception, and attention are processes that help us detect, interpret, and focus on stimuli, but they’re not the overarching system that stores information across time.