Presents an overview of research findings concerning the biological foundations of conscious memory and other attributes of the mind. Includes vignettes and diagrams depicting brain structure and how neurons communicate. (MCO)

Children who had received training in sorting pictures of men and women, and in sorting occupations according to rules that countered gender stereotypes, exhibited a more egalitarian response in subsequent measures of gender stereotyping and showed superior memory for counterstereotypic information in stories than did other children. (BC)

Examined what college students (n=440) remembered about their early experiences with death. Analysis of essays revealed that over one-half of all first experiences with death involved relatives; 28 percent involved a pet. Children's responses to death showed emotions similar to those expressed by adults. Concludes that childhood experiences can…

Responses to questions on 1984 Supplement on Aging to National Health Interview Survey revealed that two-thirds of interviewees reported never having episode of confusion during preceding year. For those who admitted occasional confusion, memory loss and forgetfulness emerged as single best predictors of how often respondent reported getting…

Autonomic responses of 5- to 10-year-old children were measured while the children watched a videotape in which a doctor and child expressed negative, neutral, or positive affect. For 5- and 6-year-old children, autonomic responses were greatest while watching, and errors in subsequent memory tasks greatest after watching, the negative affect…

Using memories is a feasible way to work with older adults. Through an interactive reminiscence process, older people often come to terms with "unfinished business" and untapped strengths. The process is important for adult education practitioners who can enrich their understanding of lifeways and inner worlds of diverse populations in their…

Investigates whether children's representations of the linguistic description of a goal-directed event was similar to their representation of the same event observed visually. Finds that mode of presentation did not affect the recall of most important actions, but that verbal description led to recall characterized by greater cohesion than visual…

Surveyed 330 psychologists to determine whether they had been abused as children. Of those who reported being abused (23.9%), approximately 40% reported period of forgetting some or all of abuse. Both sexual and nonsexual abuse were subject to forgetting; most frequently reported factor related to recall was being in therapy. (Author/NB)

Describes research involving adolescent marijuana abusers. Using Wechsler Memory Scale-Revised and Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised found characteristics consistent with pattern produced by cerebral dysfunction including reduced memory indices in relation to intellectual function and attentional ability. Intelligence was found to be in…

Conducted medical checkups on five- and seven-year-old girls (n=72), one-half of whom also received genital examinations. Later solicited girls' memories. Most girls in genital condition revealed vaginal and anal contact only when asked directly about it. Children who had nongenital examination never falsely reported genital touch in free recall…

In two studies, four- but not three-year olds understood that (1) of two characters who saw an object, the one who waited longer before attempting to find it would not remember where it was; and (2) of two objects seen by a character, the object seen long ago would be forgotten and the object seen recently would be remembered. (BC)

Defines involvement as the spread of activation through working and long-term memory, with topics resulting in more extensive and/or stronger activation resulting in higher involvement. Finds evidence from the measurement of reaction time for recognition in support of the model. (SR)

Examines mechanisms underlying the misinformation effect, in which children can be made to believe that they have seen or experienced something they never have. Suggests that the effect in younger children is mainly due to memory errors, whereas in older children it is mainly due to acceptance of misleading information. (DSK)

Discusses work with thousands of siblings, parents, therapists, survivors, and retractors concerning sexual abuse reported by individuals with false memory syndrome. States that mind-altering techniques that help to create confabulations have been unleashed on an unwary public. In the hands of some therapists, these techniques create false…

Reviews research on the brain and memory, emotions, aging, and learning. Outlines practice implications: connect new learning to personal experiences, make sure learners are paying attention, recognize the role of emotions, and be aware that stimulation influences the aging brain. (SK)