How does chunking relate to Episodic Buffer capacity?

• A. Chunking reduces capacity
• B. Chunking increases the number of chunks EB can hold to around 10
• C. Chunking increases the information within EB's ~4-chunk capacity
• D. Chunking only affects the Phonological Loop

Answer: (C)

Chunking helps you pack more meaningful information into working memory by grouping related items into larger units. The Episodic Buffer can hold about four chunks at a time, serving as a temporary workspace that integrates information from different sources (like the Phonological Loop and Visuospatial Sketchpad) into a single episode. When you chunk, you’re increasing how much information each of those chunks carries, so the total information stored goes up even though the number of chunks stays around four. That’s why the correct idea is that chunking increases the information within EB’s roughly four-chunk capacity.

In case it helps, the other statements don’t fit because chunking doesn’t reduce capacity, it doesn’t raise the number of chunks EB can hold to about ten, and chunking isn’t limited to the Phonological Loop.