Implicit Memory And Metacognition

Metacognition is a term that spans many sub-areas in psychology and means different things to different people. A dominant view has been that metacognition involves the monitoring of performance in order to control cognition; however, it seems reasonable that much of this control runs implicitly (i.e., without awareness). Newer still is the field of implicit memory, and it has different connotations to different sub-groups as well. The editor of this volume takes it to mean that a prior experience affects behavior without the individual's appreciation (ability to report) of this influence. Implicit memory and metacognition seem to be at two opposite ends of the spectrum -- one seemingly conscious and control-oriented, the other occurring without subjects' awareness. Do these processes relate to each other in interesting ways, or do they operate independently without reference to each other? The relatively novel conjecture that much of the control of cognition operates at an implicit level sparked Reder's desire to explore the interrelationship between the two fields. Developed within the last two decades, both fields are very new and generate a great deal of excitement and research interest. Hundreds of articles have been written about metacognition and about implicit memory, but little if any material has been published about the two areas in combination. In other words, Metacognition and Implicit Memory is the first book attempting to integrate what should be closely linked efforts in the study of cognitive science.

Metacognition is a term that spans many sub-areas in psychology and means different things to different people. A dominant view has been that metacognition involves the monitoring of performance in order to control cognition; however, it seems reasonable that much of this control runs implicitly (i.e., without awareness). Newer still is the field of implicit memory, and it has different connotations to different sub-groups as well. The editor of this volume takes it to mean that a prior experience affects behavior without the individual's appreciation (ability to report) of this influence. Implicit memory and metacognition seem to be at two opposite ends of the spectrum -- one seemingly conscious and control-oriented, the other occurring without subjects' awareness. Do these processes relate to each other in interesting ways, or do they operate independently without reference to each other? The relatively novel conjecture that much of the control of cognition operates at an implicit level sparked Reder's desire to explore the interrelationship between the two fields. Developed within the last two decades, both fields are very new and generate a great deal of excitement and research interest. Hundreds of articles have been written about metacognition and about implicit memory, but little if any material has been published about the two areas in combination. In other words, Metacognition and Implicit Memory is the first book attempting to integrate what should be closely linked efforts in the study of cognitive science.

This Handbook examines the interplay between metamemory and memory. Each contributor discusses cutting-edge theory and research that, in some way, showcases the symbiotic relationship between metamemory and memory. Together, these chapters support a central thesis, which is that a complete understanding of either metamemory or memory is not possible without understanding their mutual influence. The inspiration for this volume was the life and research of Thomas O. Nelson, whose pioneering and influential research in the fields of metamemory and memory consistently highlighted their integrated nature.

The immense growth of research on implicit and explicit memory is making it difficult to keep up with new methods and findings, to gauge the implications of new discoveries, and to ferret out new directions in research and theory development. The present volume provides a status report of work on implicit and explicit memory in the three areas that have contributed the bulk of what is known about this domain -- cognitive psychology, lifespan developmental psychology, and neuropsychology. Highlighting developments in methods, critical findings, and theoretical positions, this volume outlines promising new research directions. By so doing, it provides the reader with a multi-disciplinary perspective on implicit and explicit memory, and thereby enables a cross- fertilization of ideas and research. The chapters that make up this volume were written by experts on the topic of implicit and explicit memory. These contributors were asked to write for a broad audience -- for their colleagues from allied disciplines, for new researchers, for advanced undergraduate and graduate students -- to help them gain a comprehensive overview of the mushrooming research on this topic, grasp the most fundamental empirical and theoretical issues, and focus on new research directions.

The object of this volume is to promote the interaction, and indeed construct a synergistic reciprocity between the functional perspective on metacognition and the analytical perspective. The authors examine the role of metacognition in activities as varied as classroom learning, piloting airplanes, and eyewitness testimony. The ideas and questions developed in the book will give a dynamic impulse to research in the field.

Memory Quirks explores the odd phenomena that challenge and upend our traditional understanding of human memory. Theory in memory research was developed to explain basic processes such as encoding and retrieval, recognition and recall, and semantic and episodic memory. However, the peculiar memory phenomena that we all occasionally experience often contradict standard theories of memory processing. Featuring research from leading international academics, Memory Quirks examines such topics as déjà vu, insight and creativity in memory, memory for past meals, the presque vu phenomenon, tip-of-the-tongue states, unconscious plagiarism, and borrowed, stolen, and long-term implicit memory. It also explains why these phenomena are important to understanding the entire spectrum of human memory. This fascinating book will appeal to undergraduate and postgraduate students, cognitive psychology and metamemory researchers, and those who wish to broaden their understanding of the complexities of memory.

Recent years have seen major developments in our understanding of how memories works. Aspects of Memory gives a clear introduction by some of the world's leading experts. The first two chapters of set past theorising about memory in an historical context and identify the major aspects of memory to be captured by any theoretical account. Later chapters go on to discuss theoretical accounts of working memory, the development of memory, implicity memory, and context-dependent memory. A final section discusses the respective strengths and problems of naturalistic and laboratory research on memory.Aspects of Memory provides an excellent authoritative textbook of current approaches to memory.