Which term describes retaining data until the information is needed and retrieved?

• A. Short term memory
• B. Long term memory
• C. Attention
• D. Language output

Answer: (B)

Retention of information for later use is stored in long-term memory. Long-term memory holds knowledge, experiences, and skills for extended periods, and you can retrieve it when needed, often with cues or deliberate recall. In contrast, short-term (working) memory keeps only a small amount of information for a brief moment unless you rehearse it. Attention is about selecting what to process, not about storing it for later, and language output involves producing speech rather than storing information. So the term that describes keeping data until it’s needed and retrieved is long-term memory.