Long‐term memory is the representational basis for semantic verbal short‐term memory

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Abstract
The present study supports activation models of verbal short‐term memory that include a semantic contribution to the retention process. Event‐related brain potentials were used to probe the level of activation of semantic representations of a series of words in a delay interval following their presentation. The levels of activation were compared in two tasks: (1) a short‐term memory task that involved a semantic judgment in the recall phase following the delay interval, and (2) a nonmemory control task. The level of semantic activation during the delay interval was higher in the short‐term memory task, indicating that enhanced activation of semantic representations is involved in the short‐term storage of verbal information. This result implies that activated long–term memory provides a representational basis for semantic verbal short‐term memory, and hence supports theories that postulate that short‐ and long‐term stores are not separate.