# Short-Term and Working Memory Short-term memory is used by the brain for holding a small amount of information in readily available state for a short time. It is characterized by temporal decay and a limited capacity (circa 3.5 chunks [^1]). Both properties are rather controversial but recent research suggests the existence of both. [^1]: [[The Magical Number 4 in Short-Term Memory A Reconsideration of Mental Storage Capacity Behavioral and Brain Sciences Cambridge Core]] Working memory is generally seen as multiple components (including short-term memory) working together but the exact differences (and definitions) are not agreed upon and are a matter of semantics. Under some definitions, working memory is the kind of memory that correlates well with cognitive ability whereas short-term memory does not. See also: [[Long-Term Memory]].