ABSTRACT
Memory is a phenomenon that has been considered extensively by philosophers, biologists, educators, and psychologists. In psychology, it consistently has been one of the most vital areas of research. This has been true in mainstream experimental psychology (cf. Cofer, 1976; Estes, 1979; Posner, 1978) as well as in child psychology (cf. Brown, Bransford, Ferara, & Campione, 1983; Kail & Hagen, 1977) and gerontology (cf. Craik, 1977; Poon, Fozard, Cermack, Arenberg, & Thompson, 1980). In each of these subfields, there has been a continued and strong interest in understanding the workings and limits of human memory, and in the developmental areas, researchers also have been interested in learning about how memory improves in childhood and deteriorates in old age. It is appropriate, then, to ask, “Why has memory been such a pervasive topic of study?” and “What progress has been made in understanding it?”
