Behavioral and Brain Sciences

Table of Contents - 2001 - Volume 24, Issue 01  


Short Communication

Plus ça change . . . : Jost, Piaget, and the dynamics of embodiment

J. E. R. Staddon a1, A. Machado a2 and O. Lourenço a3
a1 Department of Psychology: Experimental, Duke University, Durham, NC 27705 staddon@psyc.duke.edu www.psych.duke.edu/jers/labgroup.html
a2 Department of Psychology, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN 47405 amachado@indiana.edu
a3 Faculdade de Psicologia e de Ciências da Educação, Alameda da Universidade, 1500 Lisbon, Portugal d1506944@fc.ul.pt

Abstract

The “A-not-B” error is consistent with an old memory principle, Jost's Law. Quantitative properties of the effect can be explained by a dynamic model for habituation that is also consistent with Jost. Piaget was well aware of the resemblance between adult memory errors and the “A-not-B” effect and, contrary to their assertions, Thelen et al.'s analysis of the object concept is much the same as his, though couched in different language.