The Magic Number 7 – Processing Capacity
Working memory is the cognitive system responsible for temporarily holding information while we manipulate it in our minds. One of the most famous concepts in the field of cognitive psychology is the “magic number 7” processing capacity of working memory.
Back in the mists of time, research (Miller, 1956) demonstrated that, on average, people can hold about 7 (plus or minus 2) pieces of information in their working memory at once. This means that if you’re given a list of random items to remember, like a phone number or a grocery list, you’re likely to remember about 7 items before you start to forget.
Try this simple demonstration of the “magic number 7” processing capacity:
- Click the button below to generate a random sequence of numbers between 0 and 9.
- You have a 5 seconds countdown to memorise the sequence of numbers.
- Without looking back at the sequence, try to recite the numbers from memory. How many did you remember?
If you're like most people, you probably found it easier to remember the sequence of numbers if it contained 7 items or fewer. This is because 7 is within the average processing capacity of working memory. Try generating another sequence and see if you can remember more numbers this time! Chunking or grouping helps you to remember better. 7 4 1 4 9 2 1 9 4 5 or TVFBIJFKCIAIBM would be helped if you see the sequence in the first and the acronyms in the second.
This helps to Manage Anxiety
We cannot hold onto much information. Because of how our minds work, it is therefore helpful to us to focus our efforts so that we are attending to (thinking about) things that matter. This is the key point as, you may well find yourself thinking and worrying about lots of things. If you are doing that you cant process new information. Cognitive overload. The solution is fairly simple as you can cut down the load as some of those things you are thinking about you can’t influence. By definition, if you can’t control something it is going to happen or not happen anyway - DESPITE YOUR BEST EFFORTS. Therefore, why spend any of your precious time or energy thinking about them?
Controlling the Controllables.
Worse still, lack of perceived control over our situation affects our well-being and our thinking. We get demotivated, fed up and stressed. An easy example to consider is where you are on a team. So a footballer is not helped by stressing about whether the team is going to win! That is not controllable as an individual player cannot control the output (winning), they can only control what they do. Good Managers help the player to focus on their own jobs and controllables on the pitch.
Almost magically, as soon as you stop trying to control the uncontrollable you are set free and can focus more on what you can do. You then perform better, and feel better. And, more importantly, it can makes for a winning performance!
If you can't control the outcome you have to let it go!
Resources
Miller GA. The magical number seven, plus or minus two: Some limits on our capacity for processing information. Psychological Review. 1956;63:81–97. [PubMed] [Google Scholar] [Ref list]