The role of rational analysis in the ACT-R theory of memory.
John R. Anderson
Carnegie Mellon University , USA
The rational analysis of memory shaped the theory of declarative activation in the ACT-R theory and this has been one of the most successful aspects of the ACT-R theory. I will review this theory and how it has been used in the ACT-R community. Then I will use it as an example for exploring the relationship between between the enterprise of doing rational analysis and developing cognitive architectures. The research on ACT-R has enriched our understanding of the mechanisms driving the assumed optimization in the rational analysis. Also, the research offers an opportunity to understand the different roles of rational analysis and architecture in explanation.
