Which of the following statements best describes chunking in cognitive psychology?

• A. Chunking involves retrieving information from long-term memory without any cues.
• B. Chunking refers to the tendency to forget information over time due to interference from new memories.
• C. Chunking is the process of grouping individual pieces of information into larger, meaningful units to improve memory retention.
• D. Chunking is the act of repeating information over and over to keep it in short-term memory.

Answer: (C)

Verified step by step guidance

1. Step 1: Understand that chunking is a memory strategy used in cognitive psychology to enhance the capacity of short-term memory.
2. Step 2: Recognize that chunking involves organizing individual pieces of information into larger, meaningful units or 'chunks'.
3. Step 3: Note that this process helps improve memory retention by reducing the cognitive load on short-term memory.
4. Step 4: Differentiate chunking from other memory processes such as retrieval without cues, forgetting due to interference, or simple repetition (rehearsal).
5. Step 5: Conclude that the best description of chunking is the grouping of individual pieces of information into larger, meaningful units to improve memory retention.