A Precise Measure of Working Memory Reveals Subjects Difficulties Managing Limited Capacity

TL;DR

This study introduces a precise measure of working memory capacity using the Tarnow Unchunkable Test, revealing an average limit of 3 items and highlighting challenges in managing memory beyond this capacity, with implications for education.

Contribution

The paper provides the first direct measurement of the unchunkable language-based working memory capacity limit at 3 items, using the TUT test.

Findings

Average working memory capacity is about 3 items.

Most subjects struggle to manage memory beyond 3 items.

Significant individual differences in memory management ability.

Abstract

Free recall consists of two separate stages: the emptying of working memory and reactivation [1]. The Tarnow Unchunkable Test (TUT, [2]) uses double integer items to separate out only the first stage by making it difficult to reactivate items due to the lack of intra-item relationships. 193 Russian college students were tested via the internet version of the TUT. The average number of items remembered in the 3 item test was 2.54 items. In the 4 item test, the average number of items decreased to 2.38. This, and a number of other qualitative distribution differences between the 3 and 4 item tests, indicates that the average capacity limit of working memory has been reached at 3 items. This provides the first direct measurement of the unchunkable capacity limit of language based items. That the average number of items remembered decreased as the number of items increased from 3 to 4 indicates that most subjects were unable to manage their working memories as the number of items increased just beyond the average capacity. Further evidence for the difficulty in managing the capacity limit is that 25% of subjects could not remember any items correctly at least in one of three 4 item tests and that the Pearson correlation between the 3 item and 4 item subject recalls was a relatively small 38%. This failure of managing a basic memory resource should have important consequences for pedagogy including instruction, text book design and test design. Because working memory scores are important for academic achievement, it also suggests that an individual can gain academically by learning how to manage her or his capacity limit.