Chunking mechanisms in human learning
Open accessAbstract
Pioneering work in the 1940s and 1950s suggested that the concept of 'chunking' might be important in many processes of perception, learning and cognition in humans and animals. We summarize here the major sources of evidence for chunking mechanisms, and consider how such mechanisms have been implemented in computational models of the learning process. We distinguish two forms of chunking: the first deliberate, under strategic control, and goal-oriented; the second automatic, continuous, and linked to perceptual processes. Recent work with discrimination-network computational models of long- and short-term memory (EPAM/CHREST) has produced a diverse range of applications of perceptual chunking. We focus on recent successes in verbal learning, expert memory, language acquisition and learning multiple representations, to illustrate the implementation and use of chunking mechanisms within contemporary models of human learning.
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Chunking allows a newly constructed schema to be treated as one information item and thus easily retrievable from long-term memory and accessible in working memory.
“Furthermore, it allows for chunking so that a newly constructed schema can be treated as one information item (Gobet et al., 2001;Miller, 1956) and is thus easily retrievable from long-term memory and accessible in working memory during subsequent work on the learning tasks.”
From Taking the Load Off a Learner's Mind: Instructional Design for Complex Learning (2003) · cites this paper as Gobet et al., 2001
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- Authors
- GOBET, F., LANE, P., CROKER, S., CHENG, P., JONES, G., OLIVER, I., & PINE, J.
- Affiliations
- University of Nottingham (GB)
- Corresponding author
- GOBET, F
- Venue
- Trends in Cognitive Sciences
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2001-06-01
- Volume
- 5
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 236-243
- ISSN
- 1364-6613 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2118525872
- Cited by
- 1,157
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 43 · 2025: 65 · 2024: 50 · 2023: 63 · 2022: 79 · 2021: 62 · 2020: 43 · 2019: 104 · 2018: 63 · 2017: 49 · 2016: 56 · 2015: 54 · 2014: 46 · 2013: 93 · 2012: 48
- FWCI
- 6.14
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- figshare.com
- Licence
- Locations
- Trends in Cognitive Sciences (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Figshare (submittedVersion, cc-by)
- Nottingham Trent University's Institutional Repository (Nottingham Trent Repository) (submittedVersion)
- University of Hertfordshire Research Archive (University of Hertfordshire) (submittedVersion)
- Funders
- Leverhulme Trust
- Economic and Social Research Council
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Memory Processes and Influences
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Experimental and Cognitive Psychology › Visual and Cognitive Learning Processes
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Cognitive Science and Education Research
- Keywords
- chunking, computational models of learning, EPAM, short-term memory, long-term memory, verbal learning, language acquisition, multiple representations, human learning
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