FTCE Professional Education Practice Exam

What cognitive strategy is demonstrated by grouping information into sets of five to seven pieces for memorization?

1. Clarification

2. Chunking

3. Elaboration

4. Summarization

The correct answer is: Chunking

The strategy of grouping information into sets, specifically five to seven pieces, for memorization is known as chunking. Chunking is a cognitive technique that helps individuals break down large amounts of information into smaller, more manageable units or "chunks." This method leverages the brain's natural ability to remember smaller groups of information more effectively than larger, unstructured lists. The technique was popularized by cognitive psychologist George A. Miller, who suggested that the average number of objects an individual can hold in working memory is about seven, plus or minus two. By organizing data into meaningful clusters, individuals can enhance their memory retention and improve recall. For example, remembering a phone number as "123-456-7890" rather than as a string of ten digits simplifies the information into smaller segments. In contrast, other cognitive strategies involve different approaches. Clarification refers to making information clearer or more understandable, elaboration involves adding details and connections to enhance meaning and memory, and summarization is the process of condensing information into its essence. However, none of these specifically focus on the technique of breaking information into smaller, grouped units, which is the hallmark of chunking.