Education
What is a Sensory Register?
The sensory register, also known as sensory memory, is the first stage of information processing in cognitive psychology models. It refers to the initial, brief storage of sensory information before it’s processed further or discarded. Key characteristics include:
- Duration: Information in the sensory register lasts for a very short time, typically less than a second for visual information (iconic memory) and 3-4 seconds for auditory information (echoic memory).
- Capacity: It has a large capacity, able to hold a significant amount of sensory input simultaneously.
- Function: It allows the brain to retain sensory information slightly longer than the original stimulus, giving the brain time to process and decide if the information requires further attention.
- Types: There are different types of sensory registers corresponding to each sense (visual, auditory, tactile, etc.).
The sensory register plays a crucial role in perception and attention, acting as a buffer between sensory input and further cognitive processing.