Issue 4
Vol. 43
2001

K. Foppa
Unnoticed rememberance (= receptive memory) as a precondition of learning

It is demonstrated that many well known phenomena and effects in different areas of  psychology cannot be explained without the assumption of hidden retention mechanisms. These hidden mechanisms are called „receptive memory“ because they function incidentally, the stored contents are not deliberately reproducible, and, nevertheless, one is well aware of the fact that one is reminded of past events by present impressions and perceptions. It is mainly for this reason that receptive memory is thought to be different from implicit memory. However, receptive memory seems to be a necessary prerequisite for learning proper and, therefore, should be studied more thoroughly. 

Key words: dependency of reinforcement on memory, matching-to-sample, ontogenesis of  birdsong, ontogenesis of speaking, receptive vs. implicit memory

Prof. Dr. Klaus Foppa
Institut für Psychologie
Universität Bern
Unitobler
Muesmattstraße 45
CH-3000 Bern