title: Decisions and the evolution of memory: multiple systems, multiple functions.
abstract: Memory evolved to supply useful, timely information to the organism's decision-making systems. Therefore, decision rules, multiple memory systems, and the search engines that link them should have coevolved to mesh in a coadapted, functionally interlocking way. This adaptationist perspective suggested the scope hypothesis: When a generalization is retrieved from semantic memory, episodic memories that are inconsistent with it should be retrieved in tandem to place boundary conditions on the scope of the generalization. Using a priming paradigm and a decision task involving person memory, the authors tested and confirmed this hypothesis. The results support the view that priming is an evolved adaptation. They further show that dissociations between memory systems are not--and should not be--absolute: Independence exists for some tasks but not others.
authors: Department of Psychology, University of California, Santa Barbara 93106, USA. klein@psych.ucsb.edu
authors: Stanley B
authors: SB
authors: Klein
authors: Leda
authors: L
authors: Cosmides
authors: John
authors: J
authors: Tooby
authors: Sarah
authors: S
authors: Chance
mesh_terms: D005075:Biological Evolution; D003657:Decision Making; D006801:Humans; D008568:Memory; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis