How limited is short-term memory when compared to long-term memory? How does this affect our overall consciousness? Is the retention of information conscious or semiconscious? Explain your answer.

     The standard model of memory is composed of three part system in relation to stimulus information. The first part of the system is sensory registers, the second part is short-term memory (STM), the third is long-term memory (LTM). Therefore, information will enter the sensory registers, but some of that information may be lost before entering short-term memory. After short-term memory, information then enters long-term memory but some still some of information may be lost before entering long-term memory. Once information enters long-term memory it is stored. However, some information may still be lost. When comparing short-term memory (STM) to long-term memory (LTM), information's availability to consciousness is limited to 20 to 30 seconds in short-term memory, therefore short-term memory has a limited capacity (Kowalski, & Westen, 2011). 

     However, in long-term memory, information may be stored for a lifetime and to bring information back to short-term memory or consciousness a process called retrieval is used. Retrieval is the process of bringing information from long-term memory into short-term, or working, memory (Kowalski, & Westen, 2011). Retrieval is used to bring unconscious memory in long-term memory storage back to short-term memory consciousness.
     I believe the retention of information is both conscious and semiconscious. but more so a semi-conscious process. One can have some control over what one remembers and what one forgets. Any information that is of importance is remembered and what is of no importance is forgotten.   

Reference

Kowalski, R., & Westen, D. (2011). Psychology (6th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley.