Conduct Research on One Theory

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nDescription of Millers Theory

nThe Magical Number Seven, Plus or Minus Two Theory by Miller (1956) suggests that the human memory can grasp a limited number of items. In fact, the short-term storage capacity of a memory can comprehend approximately seven events in a single moment. The Magic number seven plus or minus two offers suggestion that humans have the ability of short-term memory. Therefore, the majority of people can hold between five and nine events in their memory (Miller, 1956). Miller developed the theory from the average of items that a human memory can instantly hold then named it magic number 7. He believed that short-term memory has the capacity to store approximately seven pieces of information, plus or minus two since it contain a particular number of spaces in which substances could be stockpiled (Mathy & Feldman, 2012). Millers theory also explained the concepts of immediate memory and absolute judgement, which implies that human, have a limitation on the number of data that they can remember, process and receive (Miller, 1956). Therefore, by consolidating the stimulus input instantaneously into different dimensions and consecutively into an arrangement of chunks, which can help to stretch this storage capacity.

nAbsolute Judgement

nMillers theory proposes the idea of absolute judgement in one-dimensional stimuli. In this regard, it implies that when an individual is provided with several stimuli that differ on one dimension, he/she is able to react to every stimulus with an equivalent response. Humans exhibit perfect response when the number of fluctuating stimuli is between five and six, but reduces as the number of stimuli is raised (Miller, 1956). For instance, Miller, (1956) conducted a study on people to recognize tones by allocating integers. There were varying tones based on frequency and moved for 100-8000 cps in equivalent steps of logarithms. A tone was released and the interviewee reacted by assigning an integer. After the interviewee had reacted, he was informed of the right tones identification. The research identified that when the tones were 2-3, the interviewees did not confuse them. Similarly, in cases of four varying tones, there were few confusions. However, confusions that are more frequent were observed when the numbers of tones were over five (Miller, 1956). Moreover, many mistakes were witnessed when the interviewee was required to identify fourteen varying tones. Therefore, as the integers of varying tones were raised from 2-14, the ability of the interviewee to identify them reduced. More importantly, the different tones were raised from 1-3.8 bits. The researcher also noted that the interviewees could not grasp more than 2.5 bits which corresponded to about six diverse pitches. The study confirms the Millers theory on the magic number seven plus or minus two. The interviewees started to confuse tones when they exceeded six (Mathy & Feldman, 2012).

nMemory Span

nMillers theory also discussed the concept of memory span, which explains the most extensive items such as words, letters or digits that an individual can reproduce in the right sequence of 50 percent of tests instantly after the presentation. The theory noted that in young adults the memory span is roughly seven pieces (Miller, 1956). In addition, it proposes that the memory span is nearly the identical for stimuli with the enormously diverse amount of information. A research by Miller, (1956) attempted to examine five diverse types of trial materials, which included the decimal digits plus letters, alphabetic letters, decimal digits, binary digits, and with a thousand brief words. They were loudly read at the speed of one entry per second and the interviewees had sufficient period to respond (Miller, 1956). The results indicated the memory span is near identical to stimuli with diverse levels of information. A chunk is the item of a particular type, which can be either word or letter. The researcher established that the memory span of a human being could store about seven chucks in a single item irrespective of numbers, letters or word (Mathy & Feldman, 2012). Therefore, the study confirmed Millers theory that when items are categorized and used as chunk, then the ability of memory can be raised by grouping or organizing things.

nThe type of research from the theory

nA research by Ma, Husain, & Bays (2014) examined the changing ideas of restricted working memory. The scholars noted that working memory is normally believed to have limited ability, possessing a stable, small number of materials, especially seven items as in the case of Millers theory. The research anticipated that a working memory might better be hypothesized as a limited resource, which is disseminated flexibly among all materials to be preserved in memory. Based on this insight, the working memorys quality instead of the quantity influences performance (Ma, Husain & Bays 2014). Therefore, the research proposed that the capacity of working memory should be determined based on the fixed amount of items.

nMa, Husain, & Bays (2014) study also recognized that working memory does not produce a constant effect when assessed in different chunks. The research suggested that people could recall different amounts of chunks after presentation based on the types of chunks applied and elements of a particular chunk. Therefore, the scholars noted that the quality of the chunks determines whether it can be easily recalled or not. More notably, best chunks include those that an individual is already aware (Ma, Husain & Bays 2014). In addition, short chunks are easily recalled as compared to long chunks.

nThe benefits of the theory

nMillers theory is beneficial as it discovered that human memory has restricted capacity. The storage of short-term information can pile approximately seven pieces of information (Cowan, 2015). In this regard, the theory has been used to study the cognitive capacity of memory based on the amount of words, letters and digits used. In fact, psychologists have gained many insights from the theory, especially on human memory (Ma, Husain & Bays 2014). For instance, behavioural psychologists have used the theory to study how behavioural aspects influence human memory while cognitive psychologists have used it to study cognitive issues.

nThe limitations and challenges of the theory

nThere are a number of challenges and limitations of Millers theory. Firstly, the theory implies that memory span could grasp approximately seven items since it possesses a particular number of spaces where information could be kept (Cowan, 2015). Nonetheless, the theory fails to explain the amount of data that can be stored in every space in the memory. In addition, it did not explain how much information that each chunk can carry if it is compressed together. Other scholars such as Cowan, who argued that cognitive capacity of human memory is able to hold only four items, challenged Millers theory (Cowan, 2015).

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nReferences

nCowan, N. (2015). George Millers magical number of immediate memory in retrospect: Observations on the faltering progression of science. Psychological review, 122(3), 536.

nMa, W. J., Husain, M., & Bays, P. M. (2014). Changing concepts of working memory. Nature neuroscience, 17(3), 347-356.

nMathy, F., & Feldman, J. (2012). Whats magic about magic numbers? Chunking and data compression in short-term memory. Cognition, 122(3), 346-362.

nMiller, G. A. (1956). The magical number seven, plus or minus two: some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological review, 63(2), 81.