Structure
SAC specifies a memory representation consisting of a network of both semantic (concept) and perceptual nodes (such as font) and associated episodic (context) nodes. Similar to her husband's (John Anderson) model, ACT-R, the node activations are governed by a set of common computational principles such as spreading activation and the strengthening and decay of activation. However, a unique feature of the SAC model are episode nodes, which are newly formed memory traces that binds the concepts involved with the current experiential context. A recent addition to SAC are assumptions governing the probability of forming an association during encoding. These bindings are affected by working memory resources available. SAC is considered among a class of dual-process models of memory, since recognition involves two processes: a general ''familiarity'' process based on the activation of semantic (concept) nodes and a more specific ''recollection'' process based on the activation of episodic (context) nodes. This feature has allowed SAC to model a variety of memory phenomena, such as meta-cognitive (rapid) feeling of knowing judgments, remember-know judgments, the word frequency mirror effect, age-related memory loss perceptual fluency, paired associate recognition and cued recall,Buchler, N. G., Light, L., & Reder, L. M. (2008). Memory for items and associations: Distinct representations and processes in associative recognition. ''Journal of Memory and Language'', ''59'', 183-199. as well as account for implicit and explicit memory tasks without positing an unconscious memory system for priming.Notes
{{reflist, 2 Cognitive architecture