Memory-based processing theories of automaticity assume that shifts from algorithmic to retrieval-based processing underlie practice effects on response times. The current work examined the extent to which individuals can exert control over the involvement of retrieval during skill acquisition and the factors that may influence control. In two…

Focuses on human information processes and problem solving. Although a large body of knowledge is prerequisite to acquiring skill, the authors state that knowledge must be indexed by patterns that guide the person in a fraction of a second to relevant parts of the knowledge store. (Author/SA)

An information-processing approach to language learning is examined; language aptitude is factored into the approach, and the role of working memory is discussed. The process of learning includes two processes that make heavy use of working memory is: automatization and restructuring. At first, learners must make a conscious effort to remember and…