Advocates that in the United States, as in China, scientific research receives government financial support essentially for utilitarian ends. Primary interest of the average citizen in research is not in acquiring knowledge but in its relevance to the needs of society. (JR)

Examines earlier studies relating to human memory, extracts estimates of parameters that appear to be crucial to performance in complex tasks, and illustrates how these parameter values predict behavior in a range of laboratory situations. (JR)