The Nature of Early Memory : Oxford University Press : 9780195381412 : 0195381416 : 26 May 2011 : In this useful text, Mark L. Howe presents the most complete book-length exegesis of the research and theory concerning the emergence and development of declarative, long-term memory from birth through early adolescence. The book also contains the first presentation of Howe's theory that memory is an adaptive mechanism that is used to guide the development and survival of the organism in an initially novel, yet changing environment. The book is divided into four parts: In the first part, Howe discusses why memory development is important; in the second, he discusses infantile amnesia and autobiographical memory; in the third part, Howe explores a series of key factors that have an impact on early memory development--distinctiveness, emotion, stress, and maltreatment; and finally, he gives a detailed presentation of the theory of memory as an adaptation, and applies results to real-world p