Descriptions: A Basis for Memory Acquisition and Retrieval
Abstract
This paper postulates that the processes of memory retrieval operate upon descriptions which provide an initial specification of the information being sought, guide the memory search process, and help determine the criteria for verification of whatever information is retrieved. Descriptions provide a basis for a set of iterative processes for both memory acquisition and retrieval. In acquisition, memory descriptions and records can be elaborated in ways intended to aid later retrieval. In retrieval, the initial description of the information sought can be modified as intermediate information becomes available during the retrieval cycle. Two important aspects of memory descriptions are discriminability and recoverability: their ability to discriminate among all possible records in memory and the likelihood that they can be recovered at the time retrieval is required. An analysis using descriptions provides a consistent interpretation of a number of different memory phenomena, including depth of processing, some interference phenomena, accessibility and encoding specificity, mnemonics, and some properties of naturalistic recall.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Nov 01, 1977
- Accession Number
- ADA047834
Entities
People
- Daniel G. Bobrow
- Donald A. Norman
Organizations
- University of California, San Diego