Amanda was reading through her course text, but found she could not remember anything that she read. She realized that although she was seeing the words, she was not processing the information. The information-processing memory system being used by Amanda was _____ memory.

• A. short-term
• B. echoic
• C. sensory
• D. working

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Begin by understanding the concept of the information-processing memory system, which includes sensory memory, short-term memory, and long-term memory.
2. Sensory memory is the initial stage that holds all incoming information for a very short period of time. It acts as a buffer for stimuli received through the senses.
3. Consider the characteristics of sensory memory: it is brief and pre-attentive, meaning it processes information before we consciously focus on it.
4. In Amanda's case, she is seeing the words but not processing them, indicating that the information is not moving beyond the sensory memory stage.
5. Conclude that Amanda is using sensory memory, as it involves the initial perception of stimuli without deeper processing or retention.