Smirnov, A. (1973). Problems of the Psychology of Memory
Contrary to popular opinion, contemporary psychology in the USSR is far from being monolithic. It is true that the development of Soviet psychology does have characteristic features which distinguish it from the development of Western (and particularly Anglo-American) psychology. Perhaps the most distinguishing features of Soviet psychology are represented by the pre- dominance of the historical-evolutionary approach and the emphasis on integrative physiological mechanisms underlying behavior. The development of Soviet psychological thinking can also be characterized as having been free of the fruitless discussions of mind-body dualism and of dominance by rat-and-pigeon-centered behaviorism.
Soviet psychology had the benefit of a rich inheritance from the Sechenov-Botkin-Pavlov school that laid the foundation for modern psychobiology and biological psychiatry. Unfortunately, the politically engendered omnipresent dogmatism during the Lysenko-Stalin era of obscurantism tended to pervert this rich scientific heritage and hindered the development of a diversity of concepts and methods in the behavioral and biological sciences.
The past two decades have witnessed the development and flourishing of a number of distinct and fruitful approaches in Soviet psychology. In addition to the traditional Pavlovian school of higher nervous activity, one should mention the school developed by D. N. Uznadze in Georgia (theory of set), the system of abnormal neuropsychology or "defectology" developed by A. R. Luriya, the cybernetic and systems approach in psychobiology developed by P. K. Anokhin (the theory of the functional system), the ecophysiological ethology studies by A. D. Slonim, differential psychology developed by B. M. Teplov and V. D. Nebylitsyn, and studies of educational and developmental psychology and memory initiated by P. P. Blonskii and L. S. Vygotskii and developed particularly by A. N. Leont'ev and A. A. Smirnov.
This monograph by Professor Smirnov presents a critical review of the extensive investigations on memory and learning in children, adolescents, and adults conducted by the author and his many students and by other Soviet psychologists. Of particular interest to Western psychologists and educators should be investigations on retroactive inhibition and on comparative studies on involuntary and voluntary memory involving mnemonic devices.
Professor Smirnov is director of the Institute of Psychology of the Academy of Pedagogical Sciences in Moscow and editor of the prestigious Soviet periodical Problems ofPsychology. He was the president of the organizing committee of the Psychological Society of the USSR.
I wish to take this opportunity to express my appreciation to Professor Ian Gregory, Dean John A. Prior, and Vice President for Medical Affairs Richard L. Meiling for their continuing interest in, and the provision of facilities for, our survey and translation project on "Psychophysiology and Psychosomatic Medicine in the USSR." To my wife and collaborator Elizabeth O'Leary Corson I am greatly indebted for lending her linguistic talents in the translation and editing of the manuscript. I am grateful to David Smith for his meticulous typing and proofreading of the manuscript.
Samuel A. Corson
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