Working Memory Under the Microscope: Beyond “7 ± 2”
Working Memory Under the Microscope: Beyond “7 ± 2”
George Miller’s famous “7 ± 2” rule launched decades of research into short-term memory—but modern work reveals a far more nuanced system. In this video, we’ll dive into:
Chunking Strategies: How organizing items into meaningful units expands capacity
Domain Expertise: Why chess masters and musicians shatter the “seven-item” limit
Multicomponent Models: Baddeley & Hitch’s separate buffers for verbal, spatial, and integrative memory
Neural Oscillations: How theta-gamma rhythms may underlie discrete memory slots
By the end, you’ll see working memory not as a rigid box, but as a dynamic interplay of strategy, knowledge, architecture, and brain rhythms. If you enjoyed this deep dive, like, subscribe, and let us know your favorite memory hacks in the comments!
0:00 Introduction: Miller’s “7 ± 2” Rule & Its Legacy
0:39 Chunking Strategies: More with Less
1:26 Domain-Specific Capacity: Expertise in Action
2:09 Baddeley & Hitch Multicomponent Model
2:53 Neural Oscillations & Memory Slots
3:32 Conclusion: A Dynamic Working Memory System