Ulric Neisser opened a conference on Practical Aspects of Memory with his article “Memory: What Are the Important Questions” in 1978. The author aims to find out why people recall sources differently, how it is possible to remember things, or what can be done to train the memory skill. Although such questions may not be important in the field of psychology, Neisser (1978) defines them as interesting for his investigation about memory principles, recent discoveries, and theories. The central theme of this article is to explain why, despite a number of experiments, the nature of memory remains poorly determined.
Familiar generalizations like methods, content, experiments, and control groups are revealed to prepare the reader for the analysis. Genuine discoveries about immediate, short-term, and working memories are identified to show why everything could be known except what it actually means. Referencing Separd, Cooper, and Sternberg, Neisser (1978) creates a solid background for the promotion of interference theories in memory studies about forgetting and learning. According to the author, memory is involved in different routine activities, and to train this skill, people should make plans, consider prospects, and use the past to define themselves (Neisser, 1978). Scientists and psychologists focus their projects on understanding rote memory and creating specific situations but neglect the fact that they have much material around. Therefore, instead of trying to find the answers through experiments and hypotheses, it is high time to explore reality and pay attention to personal experiences. This article does not give clear answers to all memory-related questions and concerns, but Neisser sets a new direction to memory studies by criticizing psychology and defining the ecological validity of research.
Reference
Neisser, U. (1978). Memory: What are the important questions? In M. M. Gruneberg, P. E. Morris, & R. N. Sykes (Eds.), Practical aspects of memory (pp. 3-24). Academic Press.