A practical example of how non-valuable sensory information is discarded is the common inability to recall what a professor was wearing during a previous class. Because this visual information is typically not considered important, it is filtered out at the sensory memory stage and not passed on for further processing.

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A key principle of the Atkinson-Shiffrin model is that information is filtered out at early stages. Information in sensory memory that is not transferred to the next stage is lost. Likewise, information in short-term memory is also lost if it is not actively rehearsed and moved into long-term memory.

Information Loss in the Atkinson-Shiffrin Model

Spielman, R. M., Jenkins, W. J., & Lovett, M. D. (2020, April 22). Psychology (2nd ed.). OpenStax. https://openstax.org/books/psychology-2e/pages/1-introduction

OpenStax Psychology (2nd ed.) Textbook

Example of Discarding Sensory Information

Using the principles of how information is processed through different memory stages, explain why Alex can recall the barista's name but has no memory of the song.

Memory at the Coffee Shop

Based on the principles of how information is processed through distinct memory stages, explain the most likely reason for the memory failure described in the case study below.

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