记忆研究的功能取向

记忆功能是人类适应环境的结果，记忆系统的“设计”（运作机制）则支持其功能。因此，通过探究人类面临的适应性问题，分析记忆功能，再推测并验证记忆解决方案，是研究记忆的一种可靠途径，此即为记忆研究的功能取向。本文以记忆的生存优势效应（相比控制加工条件，判断单词对求生情境的重要性可获得更好的记忆保持量）、多重记忆系统的分离与协同、记忆对未来的价值等问题为例，具体阐明了该取向是如何促进研究者理解记忆运作的。

A Functional Approach to Memory Research

Function of human memory, supported by the “design” (mechanism) of memory system, results from the adaption to environment. Thus, by inquiring into the adaptive problems in face of memory system, researchers could suggest solutions of the system, and finally verifies it empirically. This promising viewpoint is entitled the functional approach to memory research. Survival advantage (when recalling, participants perform better concerning the words rated for relevance to survival scenario than words encoded under other control processing conditions), the separation and cooperation of multiple memory systems, and remembering for future were exemplified to show how functional analyses could facilitate the understanding of memory mechanisms.