Principles of Memory

by Aimee Surprenant, Ian Neath

In over 100 years of scientific research on human memory, and nearly 50 years after the so-called cognitive revolution, we have nothing that really constitutes a widely accepted and frequently cited law of memory, and perhaps only one generally accepted principle. The purpose of this monograph is to begin to rectify this situation by proposing 7 principles of human memory that apply to all memory. These principles are qualitative statements of empirical regularities that can serve as intermediary explanations and which follow from viewing memory as a function. They apply to all types of information, to all memory systems, and to all time scales. The principles highlight important gaps in our knowledge, challenge existing organizational views of memory, and suggest important new lines of research. This volume is intended for people in the field of memory (from advanced undergraduates to seasoned researchers), although it will be of interest to those who would like a comprehensive overview of the fundamental regularities in cognitive functioning.

Genres: Psychology

202 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2009

Reviews

[Chrissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved everything about this book. Extremely accessible, well-written and entertaining, thoroughly researched and cohesive.... At this point I'm ready to say that Ian Neath and Aimee Suprenant are my cognitive career superheroes, and call it a day. I'm fascinated by the approach they take to memory, and agree with almost all their ideas about its nature. I'm not sure I agree that their SIMPLE model is the best memory model out there, but it certainly illustrates their points well. In any case, bravo to them. I will be thinking about these principles constantly, and I'm sure my work has been influenced profoundly.... Time will tell on that count, I guess.