Question 58

Karen takes a lunch order without writing it down, walks to the kitchen, and places the order correctly.

This situation exemplifies the use of short-term memory, as Karen must retain the information of the lunch order temporarily while she walks to the kitchen to place it.

A) Karen takes a lunch order without writing it down, walks to the kitchen, and places the order correctly.

This option accurately describes a scenario where short-term memory is utilized. Karen must hold the order details in her mind for a brief period to ensure she communicates them correctly, demonstrating the characteristics of short-term memory which involves the temporary storage of information.

B) Steve, a twenty-year-old man, is able to recall the names of his elementary school teachers.

This option reflects long-term memory rather than short-term memory. Steve's ability to recall names from his past indicates that the information has been stored over a longer period and is retrieved from long-term memory, not from a temporary storage system.

C) When Daryl purchases items online, he enters his sixteen-digit credit card number from memory.

While this situation involves recalling information, it is more indicative of working memory or short-term recall, as Daryl is likely to remember the number only for a brief duration. However, due to the complexity and length of the number, it leans more towards long-term memory than the immediate recall required in short-term memory.

D) Juan is starting a new job. He looks on a map to find the location of his new work site and the next day drives there with no wrong turns.

This situation also illustrates long-term memory rather than short-term memory. Juan's ability to navigate successfully after viewing the map suggests that he has encoded the map's information into long-term memory, allowing him to recall it the following day.

Conclusion

The correct answer is definitively option A, as it specifically illustrates the use of short-term memory through the immediate retention of information for a brief task. Options B, C, and D fail to meet the criteria for short-term memory usage, as they involve longer-term recall or encoding of information beyond immediate tasks. Thus, option A stands out as the only example of short-term memory in action.