Changing Conception of Sources of Memory Development

Explanations for memory development have tended to focus on acquisition of general strategies and metaknowledge. Recently, emphasis has been given to the knowledge base as a whole, including general world-knowledge and domain-specific knowledge and procedures. Evidence is presented from the memory development literature showing why strategies and metaknowledge, although undoubtedly important in development, are not sufficient factors to account for memory development, especially if considered in isolation. Current research on the influence of the general knowledge base and the kinds of questions that must be considered by future research are summarized.