working memory capacity
WER-king MEM-oh-ree kah-PAS-ih-tee
ˈwɜːrkɪŋ ˈmɛməri kəˈpæsɪtiListen
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Dictionary meaning
the limited amount of information an individual can hold and actively manipulate in conscious awareness at one time; working memory capacity varies between individuals and is strongly associated with higher cognitive abilities including reading comprehension, mathematical reasoning, and fluid intelligence; George Miller's influential 1956 paper proposed a capacity of seven plus or minus two items, though more recent research by Nelson Cowan suggests approximately four chunks as the operative limit for most adults under typical conditions
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