Information that enters your mind passes through three different stores, each with its own capacity, speed, and rules. Tap each one below to see how it works — then test your own memory against all three with three short experiments.
Tap a store to see what makes it different.
Three short experiments. No prep, no app — just you and your own memory.
A sequence of digits will flash on screen for a moment. Once it disappears, type it back in order. The sequence grows by one digit each round until you make a mistake — that's your working memory span.
Type the digits you just saw, in order:
You'll see three letters for two seconds. Then you'll be asked to count backwards by 3s from a number — for 15 seconds, out loud or in your head, no peeking ahead. After that, try to recall the three letters.
Count backwards by 3, starting from:
What were the three letters?
You'll see eight words once, for ten seconds. Keep reading below — there's a short delay built in while you continue, then you'll be asked to recall as many words as you can. No re-reading the list.
Memorize these — 10s
While you wait, here's the point: without active rehearsal, most of what just appeared on screen is already decaying. Long-term memory isn't a destination information arrives at automatically — it has to be encoded, usually through repetition, meaning, or emotional salience. Just seeing a list once rarely qualifies.
Type as many of the 8 words as you remember, separated by commas: