The Basic Idea
Think about how you might rehearse a 10-digit phone number. You’ll probably recall the three-digit area code, followed by a set of three more numbers, then the final four. While you might not be aware of it, separating the number into three pieces of information (123-456-7890) rather than trying to recall a long string of ten pieces of information (1234567890) is a process called chunking, which has recently become a popular idea for understanding how the mind works.
Chunking refers to our ability to improve short-term memory by grouping – into “chunks” – information to reduce the overall number of items assigned to the act of remembering. For example, if asked to remember this sequence of twelve letters: I, B, M, F, B, I, C, I, A, I, R, S, one would benefit by considering the same sequence in a chunked format: IBM, FBI, CIA, IRS. Given the limited capacity of short-term memory, by chunking information, one puts less strain on their memory while still storing the same content.
The span of absolute judgment and the span of immediate memory impose severe limitations on the amount of information that we are able to receive, process, and remember.
- George Miller
