Capacity - GCSE Psychology Definition

In GCSE Psychology, 'capacity' refers to the maximum amount of information that can be held in the mind at one time. It is usually discussed in the context of memory, specifically short-term and long-term memory. Short-term memory generally has a limited capacity, often described as being able to hold around seven items, plus or minus two, according to psychologist George Miller's research. In contrast, long-term memory is considered to have a much larger, possibly unlimited capacity, allowing individuals to store vast amounts of information over extended periods. Understanding capacity helps students grasp how information is encoded, stored, and retrieved, which is essential for examining how memory processes function.