Your friend Lydia tells you the phone number of a nearby restaurant. You're easily able to remember the 7-digit number long enough to enter it into your phone and call. However, for a restaurant that is out of state, she gives you the number with area code, and you have trouble remembering it and making the call. Your inability to remember the 10-digit phone number is an example of:

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The magic number, often referred to as "seven plus or minus two," is a concept from psychology that suggests the number of objects an average human can hold in working memory is about 7. This explains why you could remember a 7-digit phone number but struggled with a 10-digit one.

Your Friend Lydia Tells You the Phone Number of a Nearby