FAA Fundamentals of Instructing (FOI)The Learning ProcessHard
An instructor briefly displays a checklist card containing 12 items to a new student for only two seconds. The student can accurately recall the general shape and layout of the card but cannot list more than a couple of the actual items. According to the information processing model of memory, which memory stage is responsible for this brief visual impression?
- AShort-term memory
- BLong-term memory
- CSensory register
- DWorking memory rehearsal loop
Show answer & explanationAnswer & explanation
Correct answer: C. Sensory register
The sensory register (sensory memory) holds an exact, brief impression of a stimulus for a fraction of a second to a few seconds before it fades or is transferred to short-term memory. The student's fleeting recall of the card's visual layout, without content retention, reflects this initial, very brief stage of processing.
Why the other options are wrong
- A. Short-term memory holds a small number of items for about 20-30 seconds, requiring some processing beyond a raw sensory flash.
- B. Long-term memory is relatively permanent storage, not a two-second flash.
- D. This is a distractor term not part of the standard information processing model taught in FAA handbooks.
Sensory Register
The first stage of memory in the information processing model, holding an exact copy of sensory input for a very brief period before it decays or moves to short-term memory.
- Duration is a fraction of a second to a few seconds
- Holds raw, unprocessed sensory impressions
- Information must be attended to for further processing
Memory trick: Sensory register = a camera flash 📸 that fades almost instantly