Chunking via prior knowledge can massively increase the information processed in working memory¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · causal r? · q2
Currency · newest study 1998 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Using an effective chunking strategy based on prior knowledge, a subject with a normal digit span of 7 increased his digit span to about 80 digits. → Marcus 1998

Evidence¶

Marcus 1998¶

Marcus, N. (1998). Understanding Instructions. PhD thesis, University of New South Wales. https://hdl.handle.net/1959.4/70247

q2 · i? · causal · r?

The thesis reports, citing Ericsson, Chase, and Faloon (1980), a case study in which a runner recoded numbers as meaningful running times. The thesis notes his underlying memory store had not increased; with other materials such as letters his performance remained normal, at about seven items.

"They showed that a subject with a normal digit span of 7 could increase his digit span to about 80 digits."

Discussion¶

Learner Variables¶

• Working Memory — outcome: instruction changes it

Related Claims¶

• Deliberate practice can expand short-term memory capacity beyond the conventional seven-item limit — related
• Prior Knowledge Determines New Learning — related
• Expertise reversal: cognitive load effects for novices decrease, disappear, and can reverse as expertise increases — related