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Mediationism and the obfuscation of memory
1Department of Psychology, Rice University, Houston, TX 77251-1892.
The American Psychologist
|March 1, 1990
Summary
Current memory theories are stalled by mediationism, the idea that memory relies on traces. Rejecting this approach can advance memory research by focusing on experience and context.
Area of Science:
- Cognitive Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Philosophy of Mind
Background:
- Memory theorizing is currently unproductive.
- This stagnation stems from mediationism, the doctrine that memory is mediated by a memory trace.
- Mediationism is a limiting metaphor, not amenable to psychological investigation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To critique the prevailing mediationist approach in memory research.
- To propose an alternative framework for understanding memory.
- To highlight the benefits of rejecting mediationism for future research.
Main Methods:
- Conceptual analysis of memory theories.
- Philosophical critique of mediationism.
- Illustration of alternative research directions.
Main Results:
- Mediationism, the focus on memory traces, hinders scientific progress.
- Abandoning mediationism allows for mechanistic theories to be replaced with laws or other explanations.
- Research can shift towards the actual experience of memory and its context.
Conclusions:
- The rejection of mediationism is crucial for advancing memory science.
- Focusing on memory experience and context offers a more fruitful research avenue.
- This paradigm shift promises significant advantages for understanding memory.
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