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The Magic Number 7±2 cognitive bias refers to the idea that the average human's working memory can hold around seven items (plus or minus two). This concept originates from a famous paper by psychologist George A. Miller in 1956, suggesting the limitations of human cognitive capacity, particularly regarding processing and remembering information.
Working memory is the part of short-term memory responsible for temporarily holding and manipulating information. The Magic Number 7±2 implies that when people attempt to retain information beyond this range, they start losing parts of it. The theory posits that our cognitive processing capabilities facilitate the grouping, or 'chunking,' of information into smaller, more memorable sets.
For instance, when trying to remember a phone number, individuals often divide the sequence into smaller groups (e.g., '123-456-7890' rather than a continuous string). Similarly, in grocery shopping, instead of recalling each item individually, people might categorize them into sections like 'fruits' or 'dairy products'.
This cognitive limitation affects various areas where individuals need to recall complex information, such as multitasking or learning. It impacts decision-making processes, where people might oversimplify their choices due to memory constraints, leading to biases in judgments and inefficiencies in information processing.
To mitigate this bias, techniques such as chunking information and utilizing mnemonic devices can help increase memory retention. Also, using external aids like notes, lists, or digital tools to offload the cognitive load improves accurate information handling. Training and cognitive exercises can also expand working memory capacity.
Some critics argue that Miller's original paper overstates the universality of this cognitive limit, noting exceptions and varying results across different population groups and settings. Furthermore, individual differences, such as expertise or familiarity with the information, can alter one's memory capacity.
The Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two: Some Limits on Our Capacity for Processing Information
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