STM
Abbreviation with 5 meanings
| Stands for | Short-term memory |
|---|---|
| Meanings | 5 |
| Categories | Science & Engineering, Medical, Transportation & Travel, Texting & Internet Slang |
STM has five meanings. The most common are Short-term memory (psychology) and Soft tissue mobilization (rehabilitation); it can also stand for Scanning tunneling microscope, Société de transport de Montréal and Second-time mom.
Meanings of STM at a glance
| # | STM stands for | Context |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Short-term memory | Science & Engineering › Psychology |
| 2 | Soft tissue mobilization | Medical › Rehabilitation |
| 3 | Scanning tunneling microscope | Science & Engineering › Physics |
| 4 | Société de transport de Montréal | Transportation & Travel › Rail and Transit |
| 5 | Second-time mom | Texting & Internet Slang › Parenting Forum |
1. Short-term memory
Science & Engineering · Psychology Abbreviations
Memory system that holds a small amount of information in an active, readily available state for a brief period, roughly 15 to 30 seconds without rehearsal, such as a phone number being dialed. Its capacity is limited to a few items.
Example: Repeating the code under her breath kept it in STM until she typed it in.
George Miller's 1956 paper famously put STM capacity at "seven, plus or minus two" items, and later work by Nelson Cowan suggests about four chunks. The Atkinson-Shiffrin model of 1968 described STM as a stage between sensory memory and long-term memory. In physics STM means scanning tunneling microscope.
2. Soft tissue mobilization
Medical · Rehabilitation Abbreviations
Manual therapy techniques applied to muscles, tendons, ligaments and fascia, such as massage, kneading and friction, to reduce pain and tension and improve mobility.
Example: STM to upper trapezius and levator scapulae, followed by stretching.
Instrument-assisted techniques (IASTM) use metal or plastic tools. In billing, STM falls under manual therapy codes along with joint mobilization. Therapists often follow STM with exercise to keep the gains.
3. Scanning tunneling microscope
Science & Engineering · Physics Abbreviations
Instrument that images conducting surfaces atom by atom by moving an extremely sharp tip just above them and measuring the quantum tunneling current that flows across the gap. STMs can also pick up and place individual atoms.
Example: In 1989 IBM researchers used an STM to spell the company's name with 35 xenon atoms.
Gerd Binnig and Heinrich Rohrer invented the STM at IBM Zurich in 1981 and shared the 1986 Nobel Prize in Physics. Because tunneling current changes about tenfold for every 0.1 nanometer of distance, the instrument is extraordinarily sensitive to height. In psychology STM means short-term memory.
4. Société de transport de Montréal
Transportation & Travel · Rail and Transit Abbreviations
Montreal's transit operator, running the city's Metro and bus network. The Metro, opened in 1966, uses rubber-tired trains like the Paris Metro.
Example: The STM orange line was running late, so I walked from Berri-UQAM.
Each Metro station was designed by a different architect, and many include public art. Montreal's underground city connects to many stations, sheltering riders in winter. The new REM automated light metro, operated separately, opened its first section in 2023.
5. Second-time mom
Texting & Internet Slang · Parenting Forum Abbreviations
Mother expecting or raising her second child, often offering practical advice to first-time moms on pregnancy forums and in birth-month groups about gear, labor and newborn sleep.
Example: STM here, and honestly you need way less baby gear than you think.
Related to FTM (first-time mom). Some forums use "STM+" or "third-time mom" for mothers with more children. The term is mostly found in pregnancy apps and birth-month groups, where experienced parents reassure nervous first-timers.
Related abbreviations
More psychology abbreviations
- SDT – Self-determination theory
- SEM – Structural equation modeling
- SES – Socioeconomic status
- STAI – State-Trait Anxiety Inventory
- SWB – Subjective well-being
- TAT – Thematic Apperception Test
- ToM – Theory of mind
- TPB – Theory of planned behavior
See all 62 psychology abbreviations →
More rehabilitation abbreviations
- SPC – Single-point cane
- SPT – Stand pivot transfer
- ST – Speech therapy
- STG – Short-term goal
- STS – Sit to stand
- TDWB – Touch-down weight bearing
- TENS – Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation
- TLSO – Thoracolumbosacral orthosis
See all 98 rehabilitation abbreviations →
This entry is for general education and is not medical advice. Abbreviation use varies between institutions; always confirm in context.