Which type of memory is often referred to as working memory?

Working memory is often equated with short-term memory because it serves as a system for temporarily holding and manipulating information. This type of memory allows individuals to actively process information, which includes tasks such as reasoning, comprehension, and learning.

Short-term memory is limited in capacity and duration; it typically holds information for about 20 to 30 seconds unless strategies like rehearsal are employed. This aligns with the functions of working memory, which not only stores information but also allows for its manipulation and use in cognitive tasks.

In contrast, sensory memory refers to the brief storage of sensory information and is not involved in active cognitive processes. Procedural memory relates to the unconscious memory for skills and procedures, like riding a bicycle, which does not pertain to the active manipulation of information. Implicit memory involves memories that are not consciously recalled, such as habits and conditioned responses, and similarly do not engage in the type of short-term, active processing that characterizes working memory.