FUZZY-TRACE THEORY - A NEW CONCEPTUALIZATION OF COGNITIVE-DEVELOPMENT

Reyna and Brainerd have provided an integrative account of a theory of cognitive development that they have called fuzzy trace theory. The c ore of this theory is that there are two types of memory, verbatim mem ory in which details and exact information are recalled and gist memor y in which only general aspects but not specific details are recalled. In this commentary, I will discuss some implications of this theory f or certain aspects of cognitive development and some of the issues tha t are not yet resolved in this theoretical approach.