MINERVA 2: A simulation model of human memory

An overview of a simulation model of human memory is presented. The model assumes: (1) that only episodic traces are stored in memory, (2) that repetition produces multiple traces of an item, (3) that a retrieval cue contacts all memory traces simultaneously, (4) that each trace is activated according to its similarity to the retrieval cue, and (5) that all traces respond in parallel, the retrieved information reflecting their summed output. The model has been applied with success to a variety of phenomena found with human subjects in frequency and recognition judgment tasks, the schema-abstraction task, and paired-associate learning. Application of the model to these tasks is briefly summarized.