GENERALIZED SLOWING IN BRINLEY PLOTS

The logic of generalized slowing theories is explored. Existing theories are reviewed briefly and put in a common format. The format is readily generalized to define a class of one-dimensional aging theories, a tiny subset of all possible aging theories. A corresponding class of compatible data is demonstrated, in terms of allowable configurations of a Brinley plot. Nonconforming configurations have the force of disconfirming the entire class of aging theories. Information processing theories can be cast in a similar format. It is shown that, for a slowing theory to be indisputably general, it must be associated with a multidimensional information processing theory.