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Fuzzy-trace theory
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<p>Fuzzy-trace theory (FTT) is a theory of <a href="/facts/Cognition/ga0tSBul">cognition</a> originally proposed by <a href="/facts/Valerie_F._Reyna/0J5shrxw">Valerie F. Reyna</a> and <a href="/facts/Charles_Brainerd/rRGtaAmp">Charles Brainerd</a> to explain cognitive phenomena, particularly in memory and reasoning. </p><p>FTT posits two types of memory processes (verbatim and gist) and, therefore, it is often referred to as a <a href="/facts/Dual_process_theory/3Dqz1r0K">dual process theory</a> of memory. According to FTT, retrieval of verbatim traces (recollective retrieval) is characterized by mental reinstatement of the contextual features of a past event, whereas retrieval of gist traces (nonrecollective retrieval) is not. In fact, gist processes form representations of an event's <a href="/facts/Semantic/1L4WwLAP">semantic</a> features rather than its surface details, the latter being a property of verbatim processes. </p><p>The theory has been used in areas such as <a href="/facts/Cognitive_psychology/GnzIgx2I">cognitive psychology</a>, <a href="/facts/Developmental_psychology/Myy826TQ">human development</a>, and <a href="/facts/Social_psychology/VfEKM8U0">social psychology</a> to explain, for instance, <a href="/facts/Confabulation/5Kf04L4Y">false memory</a> and its development, <a href="/facts/Probability/fgYvMhwb">probability</a> judgments, medical decision making, <a href="/facts/Risk_perception/C5d6zgNo">risk perception</a> and estimation, and biases and fallacies in <a href="/facts/Decision_making/NbJYprSw">decision making</a>. </p><p>FTT can explain phenomena involving both true memories (i.e., memories about events that actually happened) as well as <a href="/facts/False_memory/8LrcKItt">false memories</a> (i.e., memories about events that never happened). </p>