Support for the Progressively Finer Attributes Theory: Two Experiments

Abstract

In this paper two experiments support and amplify Coll and Coll's 1994 Progressively Finer Attributes Theory of Memory Trace Development. Important to the current paper are five propositions of this theory. (1) The memory trace develops along an attribute dimension from coarse/general to fine/specific attributes. (2) Forgetting is a reverse movement from fine to coarse as increasingly less fine attributes are lost. (3) A memory trace consists of a bundle of defining attributes and relating' attributes. There are no constraints on the type of attribute included in the attribute bundle or in the order of types acquired. The trace name is defined by the attribute bundle it represents. (4) Access to any defining attribute of a memory trace gives full access to all other attributes of the trace bundle. (5) In the early phases of trace development the attributes are preeminent in recall but, as familiarity with a to-be-learned item increases, the attributes become increasingly cohesive and the name assumes preeminence. As forgetting progresses, there is a return to the original state (attributes are preeminent). Exp. 1 supports Propositions 3 and 4 and Exp. 2 supports Propositions 3 and 5. Both experiments provide validation of Propositions 1 and 2 beyond that in prior work. The authors present arguments that the coarse-to-fine movement of the Progressively Finer Attributes Theory is the mechanism by which Levels of Processing operates.