Transactive memory is a psychological hypothesis first proposed by Daniel Wegner in 1985 as a response to earlier theories of "group thoughts" equivalent to groupthink. A transactive memory system is a mechanism through which groups collectively encode, store, and retrieve data. A transactive memory system includes memory stored in every individual, the interactions between memory throughout the individuals, as nicely as the processes that update this memory. Transactive memory, then, is the shared store of knowledge. Based on Wegner, a transactive memory system consists of the knowledge saved in every individual's memory mixed with metamemory containing info relating to the totally different teammate's domains of experience. The transactive memory system works equally to exterior memory, the place other members of the group are the external memory aid. Just as an individual's metamemory allows them to pay attention to what information is accessible for retrieval, so does the transactive memory system present teammates with information regarding the knowledge they have entry to inside the group.

Group members study who data consultants are and tips on how to access experience by way of communicative processes. In this fashion, a transactive memory system can present the group members with extra and higher data than any particular person may access on their own. This concept proposed that when two people spend plenty of time round one another and work together, they create a shared retailer of data between the members. In essence, one member of the couple might store info within their accomplice after which recall that information by asking their accomplice about it. This idea was different and unique from other descriptions of socially distributed cognition in that it describes a state of affairs the place people hold different knowledge compared to shared info, Memory Wave and members of the group engage in transactions to help in recall of the saved information. In a recent overview, Ren and Argote described transactive memory as current of both a structural element (the linkages of particular person memory to the collective) and transactive processes that make the transactive memory dynamic.

Wegner first proposed these three processes which occur in teams that result in the formation and reification of transactive memory: MemoryWave Official encoding, storage, and retrieval described more below. The explanation for these findings are that couples understand how best to remind one another of the information they've, and that couples have a very good conception of the other's knowledge and will subsequently avoid memorizing phrases within their associate's area. Strangers haven't got access to this similar shared info which results in poorer performance in these kinds of duties. Transactive memory was additional prolonged by Diane Liang and colleagues into the realm of labor groups. In this work, the development of transactive Memory Wave was conceived of as a means to improve group's efficiency when participating in interdependent duties. After this extension, transactive memory grew to become extra prolific in organizational behavior among different disciplines. Identical to human memory, the event of a transactive memory system involves three levels: encoding, storage and retrieval. These processes are transactive, which means that they're updated as members trade info with one another.

In the encoding stage, the teammates gain info on the other group members' domains of information and categorize it by ascribing every knowledge domain to the corresponding team member. Sometimes, this acquaintance can emerge by means of "who did what" or "who knows what" dialog, and even through direct instruction equivalent to by telling a teammate to recollect sure info. There might also be dialogue and negotiation of the place and in what kind to retailer information within the group. The encoding course of is very important in the event of transactive memory. Encoding happens by interaction between teammates: via sharing knowledge and seeking info from different team members, teammates be taught the expertise of each group member as a first important step in the direction of specialization. These specialists then are liable for continuing to encode new and relevant data of their domains of information. Within the storage stage, the related info is stored within the possession of the staff member, or members, with the corresponding expertise