Your Brain Can Only Hold About 7 Items in Working Memory

Psychologist George Miller's landmark 1956 paper showed that human working memory can hold approximately 7 items (plus or minus 2) at any given time. This is why phone numbers are 7 digits long, and why chunking information — grouping numbers into sets — makes it easier to remember. Modern research suggests the true limit may be even lower, closer to 4 items.

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https://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Miller/

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Published: April 8, 2026
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Psychology Science & Health Education

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