In short-term memory, information is held for several seconds unless rehearsed.

• A. For about a few hundred milliseconds
• B. For several minutes
• C. For several hours
• D. For several seconds

Answer: (D)

Short-term memory holds information for a brief period, unless you actively rehearse it. In practice, unrehearsed items last only around a few seconds to a few dozen seconds—roughly several seconds. Rehearsal, or maintenance practice, can keep that information accessible longer and help move it into long-term memory. The other time frames point to different memory systems: sensory memory lasts only a fraction of a second, while long-term memory can last minutes, hours, or much longer. So describing the duration as several seconds best matches short-term memory.