APPRECIATION OF GENERATE-RECOGNIZE THEORY OF RECALL

This paper offers a critical appreciation of the theory that the recall of an event entails a generation (or search) process followed by a recognition (or decision) process. The theory provides an elegant account of a variety of experimental findings. On the other hand, the results of a large number of studies run counter to its predictions or are otherwise not readily accommodated by it. It is suggested that the general notion of recall as generation-plus-recognition should be retained as a useful model, but not as a theory to be held strictly accountable to the data. © 1979 Academic Press, Inc.