Chunking
This technique combines many units of information into a limited number of units to make them easier to remember. A "chunk" is a bit of information in short-term memory. It could be an address, a list of words, a phone number, a name. Studies have revealed that the maximum number of chunks the average person can place in their short-term memory is 3 to 5. For instance, a person may remember a list of five numbers for a minute, but seldom will they be able to remember a list of ten numbers. The theory of chunking was first suggested in 1956 by psychologist George Miller.
Chunking groups these nuggets of information--a few related words, numbers, etc.--so that the mind considers them together as one unit. The mind can remember these units as easily as it remembers the single bits. In design, chunking is helpful in situations where people are required to remember multiple pieces of information.
| Example 1. A long list of individual words is difficult to remember for even a short period of time. |
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Example 2. By combining words into "chunks," they become easier to remember for longer periods of time. |
reactor
motion
green
pajamas
little
photograph
wearable
pudding
onion
particle |
|
reactor motion
green pajamas
little photograph
wearable pudding
onion particle |
Chunking is something we do all the time. A phone number, for instance, is much easier to remember as a three-digit number and a four-digit number than it is as one seven-digit number. You've probably subconciously used some word-chunking technique when cramming for a big test. Chunking is a simple but powerful tool to improve short-term retention of information.
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Copyright Eugene L. Mason. All rights reserved.
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