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The magical number 4 = 7: Span theoryon capacity limitations

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  30 October 2001

Bruce L. Bachelder
Bruce L. Bachelder
Affiliation:
Psychological and Educational Service, Morganton, NC 28655-3729 brucebachelder@hci.net
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Abstract

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According to span theory, a behavioral theory of the magical numbers, Cowan's 4 and Miller's 7 are simply two different points on the same ogive describing the relation between performance and span load, a fundamental task characteristic. Span theory explains the magical numbers in terms of a unitary limited span ability, a mathematical abstraction from that ogive.

Information

Type
Brief Report
Information
Behavioral and Brain Sciences , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , February 2001, pp. 116 - 117
Copyright
© 2001 Cambridge University Press