What type of memory has a very brief duration and is limited by attention?

Sensory memory is characterized by its very brief duration and is closely tied to attention. It acts as a temporary storage system for incoming sensory information, allowing a person to retain impressions of sensory stimuli for a few seconds or less after the original stimulus has been removed. For instance, visual stimuli can linger in sensory memory in the form of iconic memory, while auditory stimuli may be held briefly as echoic memory.

This type of memory is crucial because it helps us process and make sense of the overwhelming amount of sensory information we encounter in our environment. Attention plays a significant role in determining which sensory inputs are encoded into short-term memory or further processed, as only the information that is attended to typically makes it beyond sensory memory.

In contrast, working memory is associated with holding and manipulating information over a slightly longer period, long-term memory pertains to the storage of information over extended periods, and semantic memory specifically refers to the storage of factual information and knowledge. Thus, sensory memory is distinctly defined by its fleeting nature and reliance on attention for further processing.