ABSTRACT
As the designated commentator on the “Processes in Recognition” section of this festschrift, I choose immediately to cut to the heart of the evaluative part of the assignment by conveying my global assessment of this quartet of chapters by declaring up-front that, both individually and collectively, they are excellent examples of the leading-edge research on the topic. It should be understood by the reader therefore, that whatever subsequent observations, suggestions, or questions I may offer about any of them, especially those of the nitpicking variety, they are launched from a platform of already acknowledged overall positive regard. As for my qualifications for this task, they amount to the admittedly extraneous ones of happening to be employed in the same academic department as Ben Murdock, and of having known Ben professionally for over thirty- three years. Having by now made it abundantly clear that I am far from being an expert on the finer points and issues involved in current research on recognition (the real experts are the ones who wrote the chapters), I wish also to say that I shall nonetheless do my best to represent that silent majority out there known as Everyman, who in his earnest efforts to understand, would be quite willing to ask all manner of questions and to offer unsolicited advice even at the risk of naivete, or even worse. Now that these disarming disclaimers have been duly registered, I will proceed to offer relatively brief comments upon each of the four chapters in the order that those chapters were presented.
