What does Miller's Magic Number refer to in psychology?

Miller's Magic Number refers to the capacity of short-term memory and specifically indicates the number of discrete items that an individual can typically hold and manipulate at one time, generally accepted as around seven items, plus or minus two. This concept was introduced by psychologist George A. Miller in his 1956 paper, where he demonstrated that people's ability to remember and process information is limited, thus highlighting a fundamental characteristic of human cognition.

This understanding is crucial in educational settings as it informs teachers about cognitive limitations when designing instructional materials and assessments. By recognizing that students may struggle to recall more than a few pieces of information simultaneously, instructors can tailor their teaching strategies, such as breaking information into smaller, manageable chunks, to enhance retention and understanding.

The other options do not accurately capture the essence of Miller's findings. Average scores on cognitive tests relate to overall performance and do not reflect memory capacity. Cognitive development ages vary widely and are influenced by numerous factors, unrelated to the specific limits of memory storage. Finally, while the concept of learning styles addresses different approaches to processing information, it does not pertain directly to the quantifiable limits outlined in Miller's research.