Capacity

• capacity of STM - Miller

  • holds around 7 things
  • measured with memory span test - hear list of digits & recall in correct order
• Chunk

  • a 'thing' / piece of info
  • organised units of info that are mentally grouped - based on familiarity, relevance, patterns
  • = can manage & remember larger amounts in STM
• chunk size

  • bigger = takes up more space
  • can vary in how much space take up
  • digits have more syllables = fewer can be held
  • hold more short lan long words
• Peterson & Peterson 1959


  • after studying several words, distracted before recall test
  • longer duration = less recalled
  • duration = less than 30 seconds - without rehearsal