Transactive Memory
Concept
Transactive memory is a shared system for encoding, storing, and retrieving knowledge within a group. Instead of each member holding all information individually, members specialize in certain domains and rely on others for complementary expertise.
Key Points
- Acts as a collective memory system distributed across individuals.
- Relies on division of cognitive labor: “who knows what.”
- Enhance group performance by reducing redundancy and improving efficiency.
- Requires trust and coordination, members must accurately know and rely on others’ expertise.
- Can fail if miscalibration occurs (e.g., wrong assumptions about who knows what).
Example
A surgical team demonstrates transactive memory:
- The surgeon focuses on the operation.
- The anesthesiologist tracks the patient’s vital signs.
- Nurses manage tools and supplies. Each member doesn’t need to know everything, but they must know who knows what and trust that information will be retrieved when needed.
Related Ideas
- Psychological Safety: trust needed for reliance on others.
- Group Polarization: dynamics of collective decision-making.
- Knowledge management in organization.