Comments on 'Psychologic and the study of memory,' by Jan Smedslund

Journal/Book: Scand J Psychol. 1999; 40: PO Box 2959 Toyen, Journal Division Customer Service, N-0608 Oslo, Norway. Scandinavian University Press. 45-50.

Abstract: In his article, ''Psychologic and the study of memory,'' Professor Smedslund (1999) argues that many principles of memory may represent logical truths, rather than empirical ones, an interesting and challenging position. On reflection, however, I think his view is unlikely to convince large numbers of committed experimentalists. It is only fair to state at the outset that I am one of them. This does not mean that I am unimpressed by Professor Smedslund's thesis. To the contrary, his article serves as a strong reminder of the importance of using language as carefully and precisely as possible. Clearly, as we engage in scientific endeavor, we rely on the logical aspects of language, with all its constraints, to communicate, just as we do in other spheres of our lives. My comments will not address philosophical details to any great extent; instead I take the role of an experimentalist trying to grapple with the possibility that the truth value of psychological principles may be ascertained via logical reasoning, rather than through experimentation, a thought-provoking Venture stimulated by Professor Smedslund's approach. As such, I will focus on experimentation, rather than on other empirical approaches.. Nevertheless, I suspect that most of us have grumbled from time to time that someone else's findings are exactly what ''my grandmother would have said,''-a notion of ''folk psychology'' that Professor Smedslund relates to his psychologic. Our own research does not suffer from such a dismissal, of course! These kinds of thoughts provided a background for my reactions as I wandered through the rich material of Smedslund's article, and they influenced the comments that follow. The comments begin with general arguments that might be advanced against Smedslund's psychologic. Then they address some specific examples given in the treatise. Finally, they present some overall views.

Note: Editorial Intons-Peterson MJ, Indiana Univ, Dept Psychol, Bloomington,IN 47401 USA

Keyword(s): DECISION-BOUND MODELS; NATURAL CATEGORIES; CONSCIOUSNESS; RETRIEVAL; ATTENTION; CLASSIFICATION; CONTEXT; PERCEPTION; AWARENESS; EXEMPLAR

Zurück | Weiter