short-term memory

memory

 [mem´o-re]

the mental faculty that enables one to retain and recall previously experienced sensations, impressions, information, and ideas. The ability of the brain to retain and to use knowledge gained from past experience is essential to the process of learning. Although the exact way in which the brain remembers is not completely understood, it is believed that a portion of the temporal lobe of the brain, lying in part under the temples, acts as a kind of memory center, drawing on memories stored in other parts of the brain.

impaired memory a nursing diagnosis accepted by the North American Nursing Diagnosis Association, defined as inability to remember bits of information or behavioral skills.

immunologic memory the capacity of the immune system to respond more rapidly and strongly to a subsequent antigenic challenge than to the first exposure. See also memory cells and immune response.

long-term memory the aspect of memory in which knowledge is stored permanently, to be activated when cued; it is theoretically unlimited in capacity.

recent memory the ability to recall events from the immediate past.

remote memory the ability to recall events from the distant past.

screen memory a consciously tolerable memory serving to conceal or “screen” another memory that might be disturbing or emotionally painful if recalled.

short-term memory what one is conscious of at a given moment; in contrast to long-term memory it is of limited capacity (about seven items) and will be lost unless rehearsed and related to information in long-term memory.

Miller-Keane Encyclopedia and Dictionary of Medicine, Nursing, and Allied Health, Seventh Edition. © 2003 by Saunders, an imprint of Elsevier, Inc. All rights reserved.

short-term mem·o·ry (STM),

that phase of the memory process in which stimuli that have been recognized and registered are stored briefly; decay occurs rapidly, sometimes within seconds, but may be held indefinitely by using rehearsal as a holding process by which to recycle material over and over through STM.

Synonym(s): temporary memory

Farlex Partner Medical Dictionary © Farlex 2012

short-term memory

The capacity to recognise, recall and regurgitate small amounts of information (the 7 ±2 rule) shortly after its occurrence, which is divided into subsystems for verbal and visual information.

Segen's Medical Dictionary. © 2012 Farlex, Inc. All rights reserved.

short-term mem·o·ry

(STM) (shōrt-tĕrm memŏr-ē)

That phase of the memory process in which stimuli that have been recognized and registered are stored briefly; decay occurs rapidly, typically within seconds, but may be held indefinitely by using rehearsal as a holding process by which to recycle material over and over through STM.

Medical Dictionary for the Health Professions and Nursing © Farlex 2012

short-term memory

the recollection of some aspect of behaviour, which lasts only for seconds, or at the most minutes, after the occurrence of the behaviour.

Collins Dictionary of Biology, 3rd ed. © W. G. Hale, V. A. Saunders, J. P. Margham 2005

short-term mem·o·ry

(STM) (shōrt-tĕrm memŏr-ē)

Phase of memory process in which stimuli that have been recognized and registered are stored briefly; decay occurs rapidly, sometimes within seconds.

Medical Dictionary for the Dental Professions © Farlex 2012