Over the last decade, the topic of prospective memory - the encoding, storage and delayed retrieval of intended actions - has attracted much interest, and this is reflected in a rapidly growing body of literature: 350 scientific articles have been published on this topic since the appearance of the first edited book in 1996. In addition to the quantity, the quality and diversity of approaches to research in the field has also developed rapidly. Prospective Memory provides an accessible, integrated guide to the expanded literature on the topic. While many of the authors also contributed to the 1996 book and can be regarded as the founders of current prospective memory research, other contributions come from authors who are relatively new to the field and who are examining broader aspects of prospective memory and, as a result, extending our understanding of it. Besides more generally reviewing the expanded literature, all authors have been encouraged to consider future directions for research and to raise questions that they believe all researchers in this area will need to address. The book is divided into four sections that together provide a broad and deep introduction to the cognitive, neuroscience, developmental, and applied aspects of prospective memory. Following the model of the first prospective memory volume, prominent memory researchers evaluate the papers in each section and comment more generally on the state of prospective memory research in the four major areas targeted.

Over the last decade, the topic of prospective memory - the encoding, storage and delayed retrieval of intended actions - has attracted much interest, and this is reflected in a rapidly growing body of literature: 350 scientific articles have been published on this topic since the appearance of the first edited book in 1996. In addition to the quantity, the quality and diversity of approaches to research in the field has also developed rapidly. Prospective Memory provides an accessible, integrated guide to the expanded literature on the topic. While many of the authors also contributed to the 1996 book and can be regarded as the founders of current prospective memory research, other contributions come from authors who are relatively new to the field and who are examining broader aspects of prospective memory and, as a result, extending our understanding of it. Besides more generally reviewing the expanded literature, all authors have been encouraged to consider future directions for research and to raise questions that they believe all researchers in this area will need to address. The book is divided into four sections that together provide a broad and deep introduction to the cognitive, neuroscience, developmental, and applied aspects of prospective memory. Following the model of the first prospective memory volume, prominent memory researchers evaluate the papers in each section and comment more generally on the state of prospective memory research in the four major areas targeted.

More than half of all everyday memory problems concern the delayed execution of an intended action, e.g. forgetting to give someone a call. This type of memory task has been labelled prospective memory and interest in this rather new field of cognitive psychology is growing. There are at least three reasons why research in prospective remembering is highly relevant. Firstly, prospective memory is of great relevance for everyday life. Secondly, prospective memory is of enormous clinical relevance. Thirdly, prospective memory research is of tremendous theoretical relevance. The six research papers in this special issue are paradigmatic examples of current approaches in this new and relevant field of cognitive psychology. Specifically, the question of to what extent is prospective memory similar to and to what extent is it different from the traditional topic of memory research is discussed. In addressing this question, concepts of cognitive functioning in general are being advanced. In addition, the mechanisms of neuropsychological impairments in prospective remembering as well as possible strategies of rehabilitation are investigated. Finally, a third focus is on the life-span development of prospective remembering. Investigating age-effects and possible underlying mechanisms, the influence of executive functioning, the specific nature of memory for intentions, and the role of motivational aspects are examined. Overall, this special issue convenes experts from several psychological disciplines in a collaborative effort to explore why humans so frequently have difficulties actually executing intentions that have been previously formed.