Short-term memory has a limited capacity for how many pieces of information?

Short-term memory is generally recognized to have a limited capacity famously described by psychologist George A. Miller in the 1950s. Miller suggested that the typical limit for items held in short-term memory is around seven pieces of information, often referred to as the "magical number seven." This range can fluctuate, meaning that while most people can hold about five to nine items in short-term memory, the most commonly cited figure is indeed seven.

The concept of chunking plays a significant role in this capacity limitation. By organizing information into larger, meaningful units or "chunks," individuals can effectively increase the amount of information they can retain in short-term memory. Therefore, the correct answer accurately reflects the established understanding of short-term memory capacity.