According to cognitive information processing theory, where do individuals first receive input from their environment?

Individuals first receive input from their environment in sensory memory, which serves as the initial stage of processing information. This component of memory is critical because it briefly retains sensory information from the environment in its raw form—such as sights, sounds, and textures—typically for a duration of a few seconds or less. Sensory memory allows individuals to absorb and hold onto the fleeting impressions of stimuli around them before they are processed further.

Once the information is in sensory memory, it can be transferred to working memory, where it is actively manipulated and temporarily stored. However, this transfer occurs after the initial reception in sensory memory, highlighting the essential role that sensory memory plays in the cognitive processing of information. Short-term memory and long-term memory represent more advanced stages in the processing sequence, with short-term memory holding information for a slightly longer period and long-term memory storing information more permanently once it has been encoded and rehearsed.