Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Verified for the 2026 exam
Verified for the 2026 exam•Written by the Fiveable Content Team • Last updated September 2025
Definition
Chunking is a strategy used in cognitive psychology to improve memory where large amounts of information are broken down into smaller, manageable groups or 'chunks'.
A theory which suggests that our working memory capacity can be optimized by reducing complex information into simpler 'chunks'. It’s like using packing cubes inside your suitcase instead of just stuffing everything in randomly.
The part of short-term memory that is concerned with immediate conscious perceptual and linguistic processing. It's like the suitcase you're actively packing and unpacking.
The final stage of the dual memory model proposed by Atkinson and Shiffrin, which can store large quantities of information for potentially unlimited duration. It's like a wardrobe where you keep all your clothes when you're not traveling.