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Related Experiment Videos

Seven plus or minus two: a commentary on capacity limitations

R M Shiffrin1, R M Nosofsky

  • 1Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington 47405.

Psychological Review
|April 1, 1994
PubMed
Summary

George Miller's 1956 work explored capacity limits in absolute judgment and short-term memory. Despite extensive research, the puzzles of absolute judgment persist, with likely no connection to short-term memory limitations.

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Area of Science:

  • Cognitive Psychology
  • Information Theory
  • Human Perception

Background:

  • George Miller's seminal 1956 paper explored capacity limitations.
  • The article is widely recognized for its insights into short-term memory.
  • However, the primary focus was on absolute judgment tasks and information theory.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the literature on capacity limitations in absolute judgment tasks.
  • To discuss models attempting to explain these phenomena.
  • To briefly survey advances in understanding short-term memory mechanisms and limitations.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of absolute judgment research.
  • Discussion of theoretical models.
  • Overview of progress in short-term memory research.

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Main Results:

  • Many puzzles regarding absolute judgment, first posed by Miller, remain unresolved.
  • Significant research progress has been made in understanding short-term memory.
  • A probable lack of connection exists between limitations in absolute judgment and short-term memory.

Conclusions:

  • The fundamental challenges in absolute judgment persist.
  • Short-term memory research has advanced considerably.
  • The limitations observed in absolute judgment and short-term memory are likely independent.