Differences and Similarities between Working Memory and Long-term Memory

The working memory is a theoretic framework that stores information instantaneously while recalling and manipulating it to complete a function. The long-term memory, on the other hand,stores vast amounts of information over a long period of time; this can range from days to years or even a lifetime depending on an individual’s memory capacity or preexisting conditions as well as everyday activities and.While the long-term memory decays very little over time, the working memory only recalls and manipulates information to create meaning. For instance, when playing a video game, the working memory stores the new rules and moves as the game continues in the sense that one would be able to decode another similar step and act on what they learned during the game. However, the working memory is only involved during the time of action.

The long-term memory works through a process that encompasses neuron activity, where the neuron structure changes through a process that strengthens the synapse connections to facilitate new information that has been decoded in detail to preserve meaning. This is achieved through a process called long-term potentiation. On the other hand, the working memory works by drawing information or input from the long-term or short-term memory in order to execute an idea. This process involves the central executive who helps in decoding and understanding input or already existing information to put it into practice. Although the long-term and short-term memory differ in the retention and utilization of memory, both types of memory decode information to create meaning, understanding, and association.

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