摘要：For about forty years, age-related differences in episodic-memory tasks have
been a major focus of the growing field of cognitive-aging research. Most
theoretical approaches invoked to explain such differences are based on a vast
research literature consisting mostly of empirical studies, and making
relatively little use of formal models of memory. We argue that formal modeling
is an invaluable tool in meeting the unique theoretical and methodological
challenges of the field. We provide an overview of formal models that address
core theoretical issues in memory-and-aging research. These issues are age
differences in encoding and retrieval processes, age differences in memory for
contextual information, and the interplay of memory with judgment and decision
processes. We also discuss areas that could benefit from further formalization.
