AN ECOLOGICAL THEORY OF EXPERTISE EFFECTS IN MEMORY RECALL

Previous research has shown a significant correlation between domain e xpertise and memory recall performance after a very brief exposure tim e. Despite the large number of such studies, several findings in the l iterature have no satisfactory theoretical explanation. A novel theory based on an ecological approach is proposed to explain these results. This constraint attunement hypothesis provides a framework for identi fying and representing the various levels of goal-relevant constraint in a domain. The theory predicts that there will be a memory expertise advantage in cases in which experts are attuned to the goal-relevant constraints in the material to be recalled and that the more constrain t available, the greater the expertise advantage can be. The theory ex plains a number of diverse empirical findings in the literature in a c oherent, unique, and parsimonious fashion and suggests a number of pro mising issues for future research.