Abstract
Short-term memory capacity averages about four chunks — not seven — when boundary conditions prevent rehearsal and long-term-memory recoding (Cowan, 2001).
Cowan, N. (2001). The magical number 4 in short-term memory: A reconsideration of mental storage capacity. Behavioral and Brain Sciences, 24(1), 87–114. DOI
Key findings
- Capacity revision: — Pure STM capacity limit averages about four chunks — not Miller’s rough seven — when recoding and rehearsal are blocked.
- Boundary conditions: — Capacity limits are observable only under four conditions: information overload, blocked recoding, performance discontinuities, and indirect capacity effects.
Application
When a training session presenting seven simultaneous concepts exceeds the ~4-chunk focus-of-attention limit — learners appear to track all items but cannot integrate them without external scaffolding — open this cite for the study behind the move.