The Magic Number Seven

The Magic Number Seven refers to a concept in psychology suggesting that the average person can hold around seven pieces of information in their working memory at one time. This idea, popularized by cognitive psychologist George A. Miller in 1956, highlights the limitations of our short-term memory capacity. For example, when trying to remember a phone number, we often group digits into sets of seven or fewer to make them easier to recall. Understanding this can help us design better ways to present information, like using lists or bullet points, to enhance learning and retention.