Examination for Professional Practice of Psychology (EPPP) Practice Test

How is a memory in sensory memory coded?

1. In an iconic form

2. In an echoic form

3. In the form of the original stimulus

4. Semantically

The correct answer is: In the form of the original stimulus

A memory in sensory memory is coded in the form of the original stimulus, which means that the information is represented in a way that closely reflects its actual sensory qualities. This encoding allows for brief retention of sensory information, such as sights, sounds, and other sensory perceptions exactly as they were experienced. Sensory memory has two primary types: iconic memory for visual stimuli and echoic memory for auditory stimuli. These forms (iconic and echoic) capture the initial sensory perceptions for a fraction of a second but do not constitute how the information is stored in sensory memory as a whole. The crucial aspect of sensory memory is that it maintains the raw data from the environment before any processing or interpretation occurs, effectively allowing one to retain and briefly experience the original sensory input. Although semantic encoding involves associating information with meanings and concepts, it typically occurs at a deeper level of processing, often in short-term or long-term memory, rather than in the immediate, fleeting context of sensory memory. This distinction reinforces why the memory in sensory memory is more accurately characterized by its direct representation of the original sensory input, rather than through semantic or processed forms.