ABSTRACT
In common with many other theorists, I regard the memory system as having the primary functions of interpreting the perceptual world and guiding actions. In the course of serving these functions, memory will have to be interrogated. This will normally happen without our conscious intervention. Memory can also be
consciously interrogated, and this is the form of memory search with which we are more familiar. Within the model, the first thing that happens when memory is interrogated is that a description is formed. This is the information used in the search, the term being taken from Norman and Bobrow (1979). Search is carried out of headings only. Headings are searched in parallel. The objective of the search is to find a heading that matches the description according to some criteria. If such a match is found, then the linked record is made available for further processing and will be examined to see if it fulfills the current task demands. If the record that has been retrieved does not fulfill these task demands, then a new description is formed and the search cycle is repeated (see Williams & Hollan, 1981).
