A jigsaw puzzle theory of memory.
The principal novel feature of this paper is the notion that a coherent memory can be synthesised from a set of partially coherent memory fragments by maximising a particular function, Harmony (Smolensky, 1986). The appeal of Harmony is that it fulfils two functions: it is at the heart of the synthesis algorithm and it provides a natural measure for "feeling-of-knowing". The model is applied to feeling-of-knowing data, flashbulb memories, flashbacks, repression, dissociation, memory stability across repeated recalls, and the effects of cue size on retrieval.
University of Reading, Department of Psychology, Whiteknights, UK. P.T.Smith@reading.ac.uk
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D003463:Cues; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D011939:Mental Recall; D008960:Models, Psychological; D012094:Repression, Psychology; D013696:Temperature