MEMORY - research on capacity - Jacobs (1987) + Miller (1956)

Question 1

Outline Jacobs research on capacity.

Answer 1

• read a list of digits and asked ps to recite them
• measured digit span

Question 2

what are the findings of Jacobs study?

Answer 2

• mean span for digits = 9.3 items
• mean span for letters = 7.3

Question 3

Evaluate Jacobs study?

Answer 3

+ research support
has been replicated by Bopp and Verhaeghen suggesting it is valid test of digit span in STM

• Old study - hard to verify how controlled it was = decreasing its value

Question 4

Outline Millers research on capacity.

Answer 4

• made observations of everyday practice
• concluded that STM is 7(+/-2) items
• he noted that things come in sevens eg 7 notes on musical scale
• 7 is the ideal number for chunking large amounts of info

Question 5

Evaluate Millers research on capacity.

Answer 5

+ the theory was based on well-controlled experiments
- may have overestimated the capacity of STM
eg Cowan (2001) reviewed other research and concluded that capacity of STM is about 4 chunks
= lower end is more appropriate