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Long-term memory span

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2001

James S. Nairne
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1364 nairne@psych.purdue.eduneath@psych.purdue.edu www.psych.purdue.edu/~nairne www.psych.purdue.edu/~neath
Ian Neath
Affiliation:
Department of Psychology, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907-1364 nairne@psych.purdue.eduneath@psych.purdue.edu www.psych.purdue.edu/~nairne www.psych.purdue.edu/~neath

Abstract

Cowan assumes that chunk-based capacity limits are synonymous with the essence of a “specialized STM mechanism.” In a single experiment, we measured the capacity, or span, of long-term memory and found that it, too, corresponds roughly to the magical number 4. The results imply that a chunk-based capacity limit is not a signature characteristic of remembering over the short-term.

Type
Brief Report
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press

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