What is the function of the phonological loop?

• A. The temporary storage and rehearsal of auditory information.
• B. Visual-spatial information storage.
• C. Retrieval from long-term memory.
• D. Processing of semantic information.

Answer: (A)

The function being tested is how we temporarily hold and rehearse sounds. The phonological loop is the part of working memory that stores auditory-verbal information for a short time and keeps it active through subvocal rehearsal. It has two parts: a phonological store that holds spoken information briefly, and an articulatory rehearsal process that silently repeats the sounds to refresh them. This explains why we can remember a phone number or a short list when we repeat it to ourselves. The word-length effect shows that longer words take more time to rehearse, so fewer items fit in the loop at once. Disrupting rehearsal, like repeating another syllable, reduces recall. The other options point to different functions: visual-spatial information goes to the visuospatial sketchpad, retrieval from long-term memory isn’t the loop’s job, and processing of semantic information involves deeper processing beyond the auditory loop.