The Structure of Human Memory

Abstract

This chapter presents an analysis of the structure of human memory. It focuses on the process of recall of information from long-term memory. Common forms of memory such as personal memory, semantic memory, and rote linguistic skills are described in the chapter. A skill is the ability to carry out a practiced motor performance or cognitive operation. There is typically no experience of mental imagery when skilled actions are carried out. Three important types of skills are motor skills, cognitive skills, and rote linguistic skills. Data from a phenomenal experience is given equal status with the other forms of data typically gathered in experiments on human memory. In working out the analysis of the structure of memory, a constant tension between a view of memory as the reliving of earlier perceptions and a view of memory as a schema-based reconstructive process is felt. Many of the classic theories of human memory have achieved simplicity by ignoring the actual complexity of the phenomena and by attempting to give a simple image account, a simple interference account, or a simple propositional account.