Miller (1956) (MEM study)

Question 1

Aim

Answer 1

The aim of Miller (1956) was to see how many objects the average person’s short-term memory can hold.

Question 2

Method

Answer 2

Miller’s participants listened to him say a string of numbers, and then were told to recall the string of numbers in order. The strings of numbers the participants had to remember increased by one digit each time.

Question 3

Results

Answer 3

Miller found that the average person could remember 7+/-2 numbers. This led him to the conclusion that the average person could store at maximum, 7 objects in their short-term memory.

Question 4

Evaluation

Strengths

Answer 4

• Highly standardised (so it can be easily replicated to establish reliability)

Question 5

Evaluation

Limitations

Answer 5

• Does not take into account how other factors may affect short-term memory such as age
• Did not specify how large one object / chunk of information is.