Interference in short-term memory (STM) refers to the process where similar pieces of information overlap and cause confusion or forgetting. There are two main types of interference: proactive and retroactive. Proactive interference occurs when older memories disrupt the recall of new information. For example, if a student learns French and then starts learning Spanish, their knowledge of French might interfere with their ability to recall Spanish vocabulary. Retroactive interference happens when new information affects the recall of older memories. For instance, if someone memorises a new phone number, it may become difficult to remember an old one. This phenomenon is crucial to understanding STM because it demonstrates the dynamic nature of memory and its limitations. It shows that STM isn't just about the capacity to hold information but also about the competition between new and existing memories. These insights have practical implications in educational and cognitive therapies, highlighting the need for strategies to minimise interference, like spaced repetition and varying the types of material studied.

Attention is a critical factor in the process of transferring information from short-term memory (STM) to long-term memory (LTM). When information enters STM, it is held temporarily and is at risk of being displaced or lost unless actively processed. Attention acts as a filter that determines which pieces of information are significant enough to be encoded into LTM. This process is often referred to as 'encoding'. For instance, in a classroom setting, a student must pay attention to the teacher's words for the information to be effectively encoded into LTM. Without adequate attention, information may remain in STM for only a short period before disappearing. This selective nature of attention is essential for preventing our LTM from becoming cluttered with irrelevant information. The role of attention in memory processing underlines the importance of active engagement and focus in learning environments. It also sheds light on various memory-related disorders, where the ability to focus and attend to information is impaired, leading to difficulties in forming long-term memories.

The capacity of short-term memory (STM) is generally considered to be fixed, typically around 7±2 items. However, the effective capacity can be improved through techniques like chunking, where individual bits of information are grouped into larger, meaningful units. For instance, a phone number is easier to remember when broken down into segments rather than a string of individual digits. Another method to improve STM capacity is through practice and familiarity. Regular exposure to certain types of information can lead to improved recall. For example, a chess master can remember the positions of more chess pieces on a board than a novice because they are familiar with common patterns and strategies. While these techniques do not increase the inherent capacity of STM, they do enhance our ability to organise and retrieve information efficiently. This understanding is crucial in educational settings, where teaching methods can be tailored to maximise STM capacity, thus facilitating better learning outcomes.

Sensory memory and short-term memory (STM) serve different purposes in the memory process. Sensory memory is the initial stage where sensory information is recorded. It holds large amounts of incoming information for a very short period (up to a few seconds) and is modality-specific, meaning it has different stores for different senses (like iconic memory for visual stimuli and echoic memory for auditory stimuli). Its main function is to provide a buffer for stimuli received through the senses, allowing a brief opportunity to recognise and process information.

In contrast, STM holds a smaller amount of information (around 7±2 items) for a slightly longer duration (around 18-30 seconds). Its primary function is to manipulate and process information that is deemed important, acting as a workspace for conscious thought processes. STM is crucial for tasks like problem-solving, reasoning, and comprehension. Unlike sensory memory, which is almost a passive process, STM requires active attention and engagement to maintain information. Understanding these differences is key in fields like cognitive psychology and education, as it helps in designing learning and memory improvement strategies.

The serial position effect has significant implications for understanding short-term memory (STM). This phenomenon, observed in memory studies, suggests that people are more likely to remember items at the beginning (primacy effect) and end (recency effect) of a list, compared to those in the middle. The primacy effect is believed to occur because items at the beginning of a list are more likely to be transferred to long-term memory due to more time and cognitive resources being devoted to their processing. The recency effect, on the other hand, is attributed to the fact that the last items are still in STM and thus more easily retrieved.

This effect has practical implications, particularly in educational contexts. For instance, when structuring a lesson or presentation, placing important information at the beginning or end can make it more memorable. It also highlights the limitations of STM in processing information in large chunks. The serial position effect underlines the need for strategies to ensure more uniform memory retention, such as breaking down information into smaller segments or revisiting middle items more frequently. Understanding this effect can aid in improving memory recall and is crucial for developing effective learning and teaching strategies.