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Literature Review Part III: Chunking Information

Improving Visuo-Working Memory


Based on the investigation that was conducted for the purpose of this study, it is
evident that there is an absolute need to understand the end users visual working in order for developers to design successful web interface. Various studies
have made attempts to understand individuals visual information maintenance and manipulation processes in visual working memory. 

Gold, Wilk, McMahoon, Buchanan and Luck (2003) suggested that there are strategies to improve visual working memory. They claimed that working memory itself depends on the ability to organizeinformation into chunks. The impairment in working memory is due to one’s inability to use these chunking strategies in an effective manner (Gold, Wilk, McMahoon, Buchanan, & Luck 2003). As stated in earlier blog entry, in visual working memory, one can retain four visual information features or orientations at one time (Luck & Vogel, 1997; Sweller, 2005). However, an individual can increase visual working memory storage by utilizing methods that are similar to “chunking” strategies commonly used in order to improve verbal working memory. Visual working memory stores information as integrated objects rather than individual features (Luck & Vogel, 1997). When four objects are defined by four separate features (e.g., color, shape, angles, size), the individuals are able to retain this visual information as well as the objects with single features. The study explained that participants were able to retain sixteen individual features of four objects because they perceive the objects as “a whole” rather than analyzing them as having individual features (Luck & Vogel, 1997). Luck and Vogel (1997) concluded in their study that at least four features can be joined with four objects without exceeding visual working memory storage capacity.

Several researchers (Gold, Wilk, McMahoon, Buchanan,& Luck, 2003; Lamme, 2003) have related a person’s selective attention span to working memory capacity in order to enhance visual spatial working memory. Their studies indicated that attentional problems cause a reduction in working memory storage capacity. A deficit in attention prohibits those persons from storing information when the information exceeds their working memory capacity, which also makes them unable to use their working memory capacity to its full potential (Gold, Wilk, McMahoon, Buchanan, & Luck, 2003). The solution to the problem is to provide controlled stimulation. Studies suggested that controlled stimulation appears to assist working memory capacity for those individuals with lack of attention (Engle, Kane,& Tuholski, 1999; Gold, Wilk, McMahoon, Buchanan, & Luck, 2003). Lamme (2003) stated that “…Cuing relevant items could provide stimulation which may direct the attention to important information” (p.14). Cuing important information creates stimulation according to Lamme (2003), and Lavie and DeFockert (2005) suggested that when providing stimulation such as cuing, one must specify which stimuli are currently task-relevant and which are irrelevant. By doing so, one can allow working memory to actively maintain and organize the information priorities and transfer them to the long term memory.

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