In cognitive psychology, the general function of working memory is to ____.

• A. process sensory input without conscious awareness
• B. regulate emotional responses to external stimuli
• C. temporarily hold and manipulate information for cognitive tasks
• D. store information permanently for long-term retrieval

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Understand that working memory is a core concept in cognitive psychology related to how we handle information in the short term.
2. Recognize that working memory is not about processing sensory input without awareness; that function is more related to unconscious sensory processing.
3. Note that regulating emotional responses is typically associated with other brain functions, such as those involving the limbic system, rather than working memory.
4. Identify that working memory's primary role is to temporarily hold and manipulate information needed for cognitive tasks like reasoning, learning, and comprehension.
5. Distinguish working memory from long-term memory, which is responsible for storing information permanently for later retrieval.